months and halfe a siege Reolle a City seated upon the River of Garrone seaven leagues distant from Burdeaux was taken by force but when Charles returned into France the English repossessed themselves of Ayes and Saint Leverine and kept Ayes but lost Saint Leverine which was retaken by the Count de Fois their great enemy in an other part the Towne of Galerdonne did much molest Shartres as being neare unto it in so much as the Bastard of Orleans did besiege it but raised the siege when Talbot having taken Conches came to confront him and Talbot being assured that it would againe bee set upon as soone as the Bastard was gone did demolish it to the very ground whilest businesses went thus in France the ground works of Glocesters ruine were laid in England who relying upon his quality was not aware that his brothers death had lessened that authority which was due to him as Uncle to the King and Protector of the Kingdome whereupon provoked by his antient hatred of the Cardinall of Winchesters pride hee laid many faults unto his charge wherein though there might bee some likelyhood yet were not his proofes sufficient to convince him hee objected unto him 24. Articles some of which touched likewise upon the Archbishop of Yorke that hee had dared to doe many things without the authority of the King or him the Protector to the offence of Majesty and of the lawes to the end that in honour and dignity hee might proceed wheresoever els of greater degree that to enrich himselfe hee had defrauded the Exchequer and practised things prejudiciall to the affaires of France and that hee had beene the cause of the King of Scots liberty contrary to the interests of England there were the contents of his most waighty objections which were by the King referred to the Councell and the Councell consisting much of Ecclesiasticall persons the Duke was deluded not with oppositions or difficulties but with hopes promises till such time as the controversie falling into oblivion there was no more speech thereof hee had plunged himselfe into this busines upon extraordinary disadvantage his nature and the Cardinalls were too much differing for being more violent then revengefull and satisfied in that hee had vented his choller hee did not sollicite expedition whilest so harmefull carelesnes made him subject to bee despised and encouraged the Cardinall to revenge This great Prelates ambition was growne so high as that hee did pretend that King and Kingdome depended upon his directions wherein hee did so artificially behave himselfe that though his actions were blameable and unjust yet did they to all men seeme praise worthy and just dissimulation and cunning are the characters of a wary Courtier but not of a good Christian as simplicity and candour are of no use but of more danger to Princes then private men Henry and Gloster lost themselves for not having taken the other Councell the Cardinall did with the Duke as doth a well experienced Captaine with a Fort who not battering the Wall undermines the foundations being sure that the Battlements and Walles withall fall at once without any hazard to himselfe the foundations were the Dukes reputation which falling it behooved him to fall hee caused Elianor Cobham Dutchesse of Glocester to bee accused of treason witchcraft and enchantment for having made the Kings image in wax purposing that the King should consume away and perish as that image should doe to the end that the Duke her Husband might come unto the Crowne her complices were Thomas Southwell one of Saint Stephens Canons in Westminster Iohn Hum a Priest likewise Roger Bullenbrook reputed a great Negromancer Margery Iordan surnamed the Witch of Eie they were examined and convinced in Saint Stephens Chappell before the Archbishop of Canterbury the Dutchesse was sentenced to do publike pennance in three severall parts of the citie and to perpetuall imprisonment in the Isle of Man Iohn Humme was pardoned the other Priest they say did die the night which did immediatly preceede his punishment according to what he had prognosticated of himself that he should die in his bed The Witch was burnt in Smithfield and Bullingbrooke being drawne at a Horses tayle to Tyburne was hanged and quartered whether this imputation were true or no may be disputed by reason of Iohn Hummes being pardoned and Bullingbrookes constant affirmation at his death that no such wickednesse was ever imagined by them how ever it was this businesse was in it selfe so shamefull and scandalous as the Duke did not any wise meddle therein but patiently endured the affront and the being parted from his wife The losses which this meane while were suffered in Guienne made Henry resolve to send thither some little succour till such time as hee could provide greater Sir William Woodvile was dispatcht away with 800. men and Proclamation made that whosoever would transport any victuals thither should be exempted from all taxations which caused so much provision be sent thither as did supply the necessitie of that Province which being environed enemies could not make any use of the adjacent countries Talbot was likewise dispatcht away with 3000. Souldiers into Normandy and that he might goe with honour answerable to his deserts he was by the King created Earle of Shrewsbury a title which had not beene made use of for 340. yeares from such time as William the Conquerour having bestowed it on Robert Montgomery who came together with him from Normandy and who had but two that did succeed him It fell upon the person and family of Talbot who have injoyed it the space of a 190. yeares with a successive descent of ten Earles Whilest these provisions were made in England Count Armignac proffered his daughter for wife to Henry together with all the places which hee or his predecessors either by their owne acquirement or by gift and investment from the Kings of France had possessed in Gascony together with monies and assistance in the recovery of such places as were detained from him by Charles by Monsieur d'Albret and others of that Province till such time as hee should be intirely Duke thereof as anciently he was of Aquitane the councell did well approve of these offers and Embassadours were sent unto him but this businesse was not nor indeede could not be handled with so much see resieas to be kept from Charles his eare who caused notice to be given unto him for his personall appearing at the Parliament to be holden within 15. dayes at Tholouse and from thence at Paris That which mooved the Count to this offer to boote with his ambition of having his daughter a Queene and his dislike for not having a share in Court answerable to his greatnesse and his fathers great deserving was his desire to appropriate to himselfe the county of Comminges whereunto he layd pretence Iane Countesse of Comminges daughter to the Count of Bullen and Comminges and widdow to Iohn Duke of Berny who married her when
acquainted with the waies had intercepted was brought himselfe to the like danger of suffering for lacke of victualls and winter now comming on hee quitted the enterprise for that time resolving to reassume it in the spring being hereunto inforced through Glendors daring and the molestations of the French but the French weary of the Countrey and more weary of a warre wherein nothing of advantage was to be had withdrew themselves to Brittanny not intending to returne The Count St. Pauls attempts had no better successe who willing to act his threats had gathered together in Abeville betweene voluntiers and men in pay 1600. fighting men from whence hee went to Normandy and imbarked himselfe at Arflore intending to set upon the I le of Wight upon the coast whereof he was sooner then hee imagined being favoured by the windes which assisted him in his landing The Ilanders who expected not so sudden a surprise retired themselves together with the best things they had from the more open places to places of more defence and if they suffered some losse t was nothing in respect of what the Count intended for England being night at hand succours in few houres to be had the parts thereof strong and not to bee won but by length of time he having but a small number of men the inhabitants once met together stronger then he he lost all hope of victory or booty This Island was by the Romans called Vecta It is seated in the South of England so neere to Hampshire that from Hurst the chiefe Castle thereof seated on the outmost part of a narrow ridge of land which thrusts it selfe forth into the sea the distance is but two miles It is rich in pasture and graine abounding in birds particularly in Partridge and Phesant full of Hares and Connies it yeeldeth great store of Woole of the third best sort of England it is twenty miles in length in bredth where broadest twelve so well inhabited as that there is therein thirty sixe townes boroughes and villages it hath divers strong Castles seated in the most appropriate places for the defence thereof it armeth 4000. men exercised by their Captains from Hampshire in time of need 3000 men are assigned unto it and from Wiltshire 2000. but without their assistance it was able to defend it selfe against so few enemies when posts flew up and downe with newes of the Counts landing those who were nearest unto him thought it best to entertaine him with treaties as well that he might forbeare doing mischiefe as likewise that being allured by hopes and gaine hee might not prepare to be gone they sent unto him a well spoken and well advised Priest who made divers propositions to him but being advertised of the strength of the Island and of what danger hung over him hee reimbarked himselfe contrary to the good will of the adventurers who had laid out much upon vaine hopes and had never any reparation made them though they expected satisfaction from the Generall All sides were so heated with these commotions as that warre was already kindled in Guascony not now contented with inrodes they betooke themselves to more evident and reall injuries but Fortune having favoured the English in these last expeditions on this side the sea would now be gracious to the French in the two next on the other side the sea The one made by Count Claremont sonne to the Duke of Burbone the other by the Constable Albert both which strove who should most indamage the Dutchy The first accompanied by Count Chastearebone sonne to the Count de Fois reduced three strong Castles to the obedience of King Charles St. Peter St. Mary and Chasteaunense The second incensed at the damages done by the Garison which lay at Carlefine which had forced contribution upon all the neighbouring places sate downe before the towne accompanied by Arpadan a Gentleman of note and much followed in those parts after sixe weekes siege the Garison dispairing of succour yeelded themselves their goods being safe and the townsmen redeeming their goods with money But these external adventures merit not the being recounted save as apparent intermediums of the tragicall acts which were internally done men who do good turns use to measure merit by a common measure which agrees ill with the measure of Princes For subjects are born to serve their Princes are bound to their service which they are not to other men so as private men are more obliged by good turnes then Princes not but that Princes ought to reward worth in those that serve them but if this bemade in them a coactive duty vertue will not be its owne end in subjects will eclips the splendor of liberality and gratitude in Princes and not being able to satisfie every one with current money their estates how rich soever not able to suply them they must reward some with the Alchymy of honour a sort of money coined for the chiefest and most noble amongst whom it is oftenest dispersed Tacitus brings in Armenius laughing at his brother Flavius who rather desired to bee a private souldier amongst the Romans then a Prince in Germany and that having in those warres lost an eye and had his face disfigured he termed the increase of his pay and certaine other little gifts which children would disprize a reward But Armenius did not well understand this mystery for take away the opinion of honour which of the two principall columes which sustaine civill life is the second who will expose himselfe to danger who will defend his Country if to die for it be not esteemed glorious The two Percies both brothers the one Earle of Northumberland the other of Worster together with Henry sonne to the former fell into this error they measured their service done to the King according to the common measure so as if the mischief which insued was not answerable to the honour of their familie and their owne particular worths it was notwithstanding most answerable to their ill advised resolutions In the two battels at Hamelton and Nesbit as hath beene formerly said they had taken some of the chiefe Nobility of Scotland the which being demanded by the King who would have them in his power and by them denied they thought to satisfie him by sending unto him Mordachy Earle of Fife the chiefest of them sonne to the Duke of Albeny alledging that this man together with the other prisoners did of right belong to them as a prey wonne by the hazard of their persons and effusion of their bloud so as the King had no pretence unto them Just reasons if the Prince were not to share in the booty Artillery munition or victualls prisoners of quality or otherwise redonable doe properly belong to them not so much in respect of ransome as to facilitate or secure the victory by peace exchange and other contingencies which times and occasions in the manifold interests of States doe produce I speake not of the imprisonment of the two
the respect of the King now living All the above-named were like so many paunes at Chesse which advancing too rashly were lost whilst the great men alike inconsiderately endeavouring to mate the King met with the like fortune There was not one in the whole Nobility who did not now desire a change of government but few that did resolve to endevour it For events founded upon the uncertainty of fortune are for the most part of certaine inevitable ruine Hatred as all things else hath its degrees he who is in the last degrees cares not much to hazard himselfe till such time as happy successe is of little use and unhappy successe of inevitable danger But who is in the first degrees of hatred and therein bathed in his own bloud hath bolder resolves revenge being an intense passion and an indefatigable egger on of the spirits in offended veines The Earle of Northumberland who had lost his brother and his son the Archbishop of Yorke who had lost his brother and Maubery Earle Marshall who had lost his father an exiled man in Venice all enemies to the King in highest degree conspired his ruine taking for their colour the ordinary pretence of reformation and ease of the people oppressed with strange taxes as if to represse the attempts of France Scotland and Wales in which service they were imployed had not beene necessary as indeed it was not according to their tenets for such repression did preserve authority and did establish together with the common good the reputation and awe of a Prince which they would have oppressed and undone though to the undoing of the kingdome The Lord Hastings Falconbridge Bardolf and many others did joyne in this conspiracy the order they therein tooke was to meet all at an appointed time with their forces at Yorke under the command of the Earle of Northumberland but the Archbishops impatiency broke this designe for being returned to Yorke together with the Earle Marshall hee thought to facilitate the enterprise by honesting it so as having framed certaine articles and sent copies of them into other countries he caused them be set upon the Church doores thereby inviting the people to take armes to reforme abuses introduced by the ill administration of the present government The Archbishop was of a pleasing countenance well read and indued with much vertue so as having till this present led a blamelesse life he was free from being thought to have any evil intentions but t is usual for man to fall back from well doing and hereupon at his first becke 20000. men came flocking to him an unseasonable diligence for his confederates as likewise for himself The King was informed of all that had past and not failing in diligence in his owne affaires he had at the first noyse of this rebellion levied 30000. fighting men giving order to the Earle of Westmerland to whom he joyned a sonne of his owne very young to goe before him into these parts and to governe himselfe as occasion should require Being come to Yorke he found that the Archbishop had placed his campe forth of the city and perceiving that it was not his best to give him battell for he was much inferiour in forces he encamped himselfe over against him And changing the Lyons skin into the Foxes he sent him word that he wondred to find a man of his profession in the posture hee found him since hee could not finde any reason why he should arme the Kings people contrary to the Kings peace to the which the Archbishop answered that he so was far from infringing the Kings peace as that all that he did tended to the preservation thereof Whereupon entring upon the occasions of discontent with him that was sent unto him he shewed him the Articles and for the Earles better satisfaction hee sent them unto him by a Gentleman of his own He who had determined to do what hee did seemed to rest satisfied but that a businesse of this high nature being in question it was requisite they should meet together to treat thereof which might easily be done each of them bringing a like number of men betwixt the two campes There is no net so secure as that which is spread in the commendations of hîm who is to be deceived for the Archbishop hearing his actions applauded by him who was sent to oppose him confident to bring him over to his side made no difficulty to give him meeting And which is more brought the Earle Marshall along with him though with much adoe and contrary to his will who had in vaine used all the meanes hee could to disswade him from it Being met together with equall numbers betweene the two campes Westmerland after some short discourse seemed to bee perswaded professing that in so just a quarrell he would fight to the utmost of his life whereupon shaking hands in the fight of both armies wine was called for and given about in token of friendship and agreement a ceremony which not soone to bee ended the Earle said to the Archbishop that their differences being ended in a joynt consent it was not expedient to detain any longer so many people with such incōmodity from their houses and shops but that suddenly disbandoned it was reason they should together with them enjoy the fruits of the established reconciliation the Archbishop believed the Earle and his people him who returned to the City aboundantly content the cups went this while merily about whilst those of the Kings party gathering one by one together grew to such a multitude as that there being now no more cause of feare the Earle did at the same time arest the Archbishop and Earle Marshall plighting his faith unto them the same as hee had formerly done that they should not suffer in their lives and meeting the King at Pomfret who made what haste hee could to Yorke hee brought along with him the prisoners who much commiserated and bemoaned were adjuged to dye and were forthwith beheaded Some doe report that the Archbishop obtained of the headsman to cut off his head at five blowes in the honour of our Saviours five wounds and that the King being at dinner was at the same time by an invisible hand strucke as often in the necke remaining afterwards a Leper A thing possible to him whom all things are possible but God doth not alwaies worke according to his omnipotency for the King did neither receive these blowes neither did hee remaine a Leper to prove the falshood whereof the Archbishops tombe being devoutly flocked unto as to the tombe of a Martyr hee by publique prohibition forbad the recourse thereunto the which hee would not have done if he had beene miraculously strucke in manner aforesaid and for what concerns the name of Martyr his cause did not deserve it for he being a Pastor misled his flocke from spirituall pastorage to rebellion and to the shambles and since the judgements of the Almighty touching the falling of the just is not
prisoners which had not happened had they not beleeved to have so well deserved at his hands as that they might make him doe what they listed a presumption which hath and will deceive many for Princes will not be thought capable of such obligation as that they must acknowledge their being from another and much lesse to have their subjects their benefactors the very thought thereof hath beene and ever will be with them mortall Here all King Henries adverse fortune had a period and in this calme he likewise calmed all home suspitions and jealousies having in the short time he afterwards lived some small forraine armies not to weary him but to keep him in breath he had as wise Princes ought his eyes every where he tooke order for the very least affaires for negligence in a new and not beloved Prince is no lesse the mother of contempt then is diligence the mother of reverence and respect many ships appertaining to particular men were come upon the coast of the Kingdome upon this occasion of warre to lie in waite for pillage which hindred the Merchants ships from traffiquing abroad he gave order for a sufficient fleet commanded by Edmond Holland Earle of Kent formerly created Admirall who having scoured the coasts of England and France and met with no enemy he understood they had retired themselves into Britany whither he steered his course he assaulted Briache a place upon the sea side The inhabitants did couragiously defend the place wounded many of the English in particular the Admirall himselfe with a stone in the head of the which he died five daies after a fatall blow to him and unfortunate to them for the assaliants growing more obstinate through this losse tooke the Towne by force burnt all the houses and put all to the sword that they found in posture of defence This Earle was brother to Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey who in the conspiracy at Oxford was slaine by the Townesmen of Chester he was in such favour with the King as besides the restoring of him to his bloud inheritance and honour he with much labour and expence procured him to marry with Lucia Visconte This Lady was the tenth daughter of Barnaby Visconte Lord not onely of Millaine but almost of all Lumbardy the other nine were matched to great Princes as to Leopald Duke of Austria the two Dukes of Bavaria and to the King of Ciprus so as if the King had not extraordinarily favoured him it was not a match befitting his fortune she brought him 100000. Crownes in gold an unusuall portion in those dayes and to the last of so many daughters Corâ—…us calls him Earle of Kent and sonne to Henry the fourth beleeving that any inferior quality was unfit to match with so great a Princesse she being now a widow and without children the King purposed to marry her to Marquis Dorset his brother but she not liking thereof he being a man in yeares and of no pleasing aspect did secretly marry herselfe with hazard of losing for ever all shee had to Henry Mortimer to whom she bore three daughters which being all honorably married left a noble and continued succession The affaires in France this mean while the which hereafter must be interlaced with this our story were come to the period of ruine so to bring England to the period of greatnesse which had not happened for whatsoever worth or fortune had not the way beene chalked out unto them by the enmity between the house of Burgundy and Orleance Let me bee permitted to make a large relation thereof since they were the rice of all the disorders that succeeded betwixt these two warlike Nations we have heard how the Duke of Burgundy having the second time resolved upon the enterprise of Callis was commanded to the contrary that thinking that this affront proceeded from the ill will that Orleans bore him hee was mightily incensed this anger afterwards increasing and not able to suffer him his superior nor the other him his equall he resolved to bereave him of his life with this resolution he went to Paris where he got together eighteene men the very scum of all the rascality of France making one Rolletto Antoneville a Norman their chiefe who having by the favour of the late Duke of Burgundy father to this present Duke obtained an office of great moment had it tane from him by the Duke of Orleans so as the obligation he had to the one and the losse he received by the other made him more covet this murther then did Burgundy the Queene had bought a house without the gate Barbet for her recreation where shee was at this time brought to bed the child being dead so as she keeping her bed they were sure Orleans would not faile to visite her they tooke a house neere the said gate for that he returning by night as of necessity he must doe by reason of the shortnesse of the dayes the season being November they might have opportunity to doe that wicked action the Duke went to make this visit and they fearing lest in his returne he might come some other way sent unto him a footman of the Kings one of their number to will him from the King to come presently to him for that he had a businesse to confer with him in which concerned them both The Duke who knew the messenger took leave of the Queene and got on horsebacke waited upon onely by five footmen with torches by two gentlemen which rid before him both of one horse and by a Dutchman who being come out of pagery and not having whereon to ride followed him on foot the assassinates stood waiting for him in a corner as the torch light appeared they came forth upon him and at the first stroke strucke off one of his hands he cried out I am Orleans t' is Orleans that we would have replied they wherwithall loading him with wounds he fell from his horse with his head so cloven as that his braines fell out upon the stones the faithfull Dutchman desirous to be his shield threw himselfe before him and was soone slaine the horse which was gone before did so start when hee came neer these men as that huffing and pricking up his eares he runne so hard away as the two men could not in a long time take him up having stayed him and returning backe to meet their Master they might see the Dukes horse with no body on his backe which they led backe by the bridle thinking that the Duke lighting upon such like accident as they had done might be fallen but being come unto the place and by the murtherers threatned to be served with the same sauce they run to the Queens house crying out murther murther the murtherers this meane while having set the house on fire wherein they lay to the end that their neighbours fright might make their escape more secure got to the Pallace of Artois a house of the Duke of Burgundies This newes being knowne
condition that herein hee humbly intreated the Duke of Bedford and all the lords spirituall and temporall of that Parliament since they were the lawfull Judges for the administration of justice especially in this case and because the aforesaid letter written to the Duke of Bedford suffered a sinister interpretation hee interpreted it according to its naturall sence the end for which it was written not admitting of any other If this busines had hapened betweene private men or that it had beene judgeable where Lextalionis is practised it would not have beene so easily ended but being betweene two great Lords almost equall in authority bloud and followers and where hee who layes treason to anothers charge though calumniously undergoes no punishment but the hazard of single Duell the remedy was easy the condition of the times the necessity of peace at home and the evils which by doing otherwise were likely to ensue being considered for the cure of a Fistula differs from the cure of a wound the one as soone as cut must bee suddenly closed the other being newly made must bee kept open to the end it may purge But there was no probability in this accusation the 3. first articles though they had some shew yet was there no proofe of them and that appearance wiped away by a more solid recremination the fourth and fifth not to bee spoken of since the dead are not call'd to witnesse nor cited before Earthly Tribunals they were alleadged onely to make the party accused ill thought of not that there was any reason to condemne him for them Moreover it is not likely that in England where the accusation witnesses defence and judgement are all made in publique and in face of the Court an accessary should bee privately drowned by night the King not being advertis'd thereof the party not delivered up into the hands of justice nor confronted with his accuser whilest the Prince who could not love the Bishop seing the ill will hee bore him had so large a field to revenge himselfe in by Iustice not being withstood either by any interest of feare or want of proofe the case being cleare the guilty convinc't the fault inexcusable treason in the highest degree The order which was taken in this busines was to sweare all the Lords as well Ecclesiasticall as Temporall to proceed therein without passion and with secresy it was by them put over to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the Dukes of Exceter and Norfolke the Bishops of Durham Worcester and Bath the Earle of Stafford the Lo. Privy Seale and the Lo. Cromwell who after having made them promise to stand to their judgements as well themselves as their adherents Glocester in the word of a Prince and sonne of a King and the Bishop in the bare word of a Priest they framed certaine words which they were to speake one to another causing them the King being present to come to the Parliament The Bishop seeming much grieved at the scandalous speeches layd to his charge pressed much either to bee declared innocent of what hee stood accused concerning the two last Kings since hee was not nor could not bee convinst thereof or else that he might be permitted to justifie himself and being gone out of the house to allow them time to consider hee was shortly after cald in againe and Bedford in name of the whole house sayd unto him that upon the examination of his request the King and all the Lords declared him to be an honest man and faithfull to both the Kings which declaration was ordered to bee regestred amongst the Acts of Parliament then saying the conceived words one to another and having shaken hands the businesse was ended and they pacified The King was willing to witnesse his gladnesse of this accord by solemne mirths and Court solemnities he created Richard Plantagenet sonne to the Earle of Cambridge beheaded at Antona Duke of Yorke This title ceased in this family through the death of Edward Plantaginet slaine in the battle of Aiencourt elder brother to the forenamed Earle of Cambride and not to bee ransomed by this Richard his nephew and next heire without his being restored in blood as now hee was this was hee who afterwards deposed the King and who was the first cause of exturpating the house of Lancaster having boldnesse enough to contest for the kingdome with him and to lay claime thereunto in full Parliament as wee shall hereafter see in its due place neither was hee likely to have arrived at so immense a bouldnesse had he not beene promoted to this honour and honord by those high places of trust which by the King he afterwards was But God governes things here below by meanes contrary to wordly reason for whilst men foolishly beleeve that good turnes make past offences be forgotten examples shew us that the correspondencies due to vertue and reason ought not to be expected from men but such as the interest of profit dayly produceth profit is that alone which surpassing vertue or reason spurnes at any other gratitude the which though it ought not alwayes to be supposed 't is notwithstanding a want in judgement to thinke otherwise in great offences especially such as were these of this Richard on whom no benefit being to be conferred which was not inferior to the kingdome usurped from him it was the chiefest of all others to chalke out vnto him the wayes to the conquest thereof and by conferring upon him honors riches and power to indow him with an ability of doing what he did An errour whereunto the best of men are onely subject who expect not that from others which they themselves would not doe this creation was accompanied with another of Iohn Moubray who being Earle Marshall was made Duke of Norfolke which title was unluckily enjoyed not above three yeares by his Father who died in Venice being banished for England the first yeare of Henry the fourth this solemnitie was concluded by the order of knighthood which the Duke of Bedford gave into the King accompanied by 35 great Lords or some of great Families and the liberall contribution which by way of subsidie was given in Parliament in consideration of the warre with France no one City being exempt from the payments of monies or raysing of souldiers At this time the Duke of Exceter died a man of great wisedome who having no sonnes made the King his heire though besides the Bishop his brother and the Countesse of Westmerland his Sister hee had by her a great many Nephewes Richard Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke whom the Duke of Bedford had left his Lievtenant in France was not this meane while faultie in what belonged unto his charge for entring the County of Maine hee tooke there many townes and being returned to Paris met with this newes of his being chosen to the government of the King in place of the deceased Duke of Exceter though he went not into England till a good while after advancing in the meane while by
treason in Henry the Sevenths time confest what had beene sayd after the same manner 't is here not knowing what became of their bodies after they were taken from the place were hee had buried them He suffered for other faults the punishment he deserved for this as did likewise the rest God doth not alwayes punish all faults in an instant but seldome suffers evill actions to have good ends for being approved of neither by men nor by the Lawes if they escape one punishment they fall upon another and for their second fault receive the punishment due for the former As long as Richard lived after this He was both outwardly and inwardly troubled with feares and agonies and according to the relations of some that were most inward with him He after this so execrable act injoy'd not one houre of quiet his countenance was changed his eyes were troubled and ghastly Hee wore coates of Male underneath his clothes and had almost continually His hand upon His Daggers-hilt ready to strike as if Hee had then beene strucken He spent whole nights in watching and if at any time He chanced to take a little rest He would be wakened with fearfull Dreames which would force him to quit His bed and so walke up and downe His chamber full of prodigious feares The other two though they escaped humane Justice yet were they met with all by Justice from above for Miles Forest dyed having almost all his members first rotted and then cut off if Deighton fared not altogether so ill yet was hee in daily expectation to be made an exemplary spectacle by some ignominious death for it is affirm'd by one who writes of him that in his time he was alive in Callis but so universally hated and detested by all men that hee was pointed at as he went along the streetes Others affirme that he lived and dyed there in great misery The first intestine troubles which Richard was afflicted withall were occasioned by the bad intelligence which was held betweene Him and the Duke of Buckingham What the occasion thereof might be is onely knowne by conjecture yet such as is not likely to erre They were both naturally proud therefore prone to breake and though Buckingham first endevoured Glocesters friendship before Glocester His he did it not in respect of his alike Genius but fearing least hee might fall from the greatesse he was in under the authority of the Queene and her kinred to shun this Rock he gave against the Other which though it were the more dangerous yet did he rather chuse to submit himselfe to a Superior who was borne great then to his Inferiors who had acquir'd greatnesse It is said that Edward being dead he sent his servant Persall presently to Yorke where Richard then was who being privately admitted by night made offer unto him of his Masters service in this change of King and that if neede should be his master would come unto him in Person waited on by a Thousand fighting men that he made the same be said over to him againe when he came to Nottingham and that when he returned to Yorke he went to visit him attended by three hundred horse where a close friendship being contracted betweene them things followed as hath been said even to the Usurpation of the Crowne after which they cooled in their affections to the amazement of those who observed their friendship for they came to the point of not Trusting one another and 't was thought moreover that in the last journey to Glocester Buckingham ran hazard of his life The cause of their distast was supposed to arise from some claime Buckingham had to the Duke of Hertfords Lands for that reputing himselfe to be his Heire he thought that Richard would not have denied them unto him neither in Justice nor yet in Recompence of his service But these Lands were so linkt to the Crown as that being falne from the house of Lancaster upon the late depos'd Henry and from Him upon the Crowne they were to be free from any privat propriety or pretension which still continuing in the Duke Richard feared least his thoughts might exceed the condition of a Subject insomuch as when Buckingham demanded them he received so sharpe so threatning and so scornefull a deniall as not able to endure it he fained himselfe sick that so he might not be at the Coronation and Richard sent him word that if he would not come he would make him be brought thither whereupon he was forced to go in all the rich and stately Equipage which at an Extraordinary charge he had prepared before their distasts Others notwithstanding will have that the distasts between them rose after this not having as Then any being that the King standing in need of him would not have hazarded the losing of him in that manner and that the Duke very well acquainted with his Nature would not have hazarded his Life being assured that upon any whatsoever occasion he could not expect better dealings then his Nephews had met withall Notwithstanding the first opinion was thought true in respect of his proud behaviour as likewise for that in the very act of Richards Coronation he turned his Eyes another way as Repenting he had bin the occasioner of it and that Richard though he knew him to be distracted treated him civilly and presented him at his departure to Glocester but his Alienation grew after he was come to his house at Brecknock and had had discourse with Dr. Morton Bishop of Ely This Bishop was a learned man and of a good life a constant part-taker with Henry the sixt neither did he ever forsake him even till his imprisonment He fled with the Queen and Prince into France and returned with them into England But their affaires succeeding ill and Edward being established in the Kingdome He was by him received into favour for knowing him to have bin Loyall to his First master he thought he would be the like to Him so as leaving him Executor of his last Will and Testament he continued his wonted loyalty to his Children which Richard knowing to be such as was unalterable he put him in the Tower and afterwards assigned him to the custody of the Duke of Buckingham with whom discoursing of Richards iniquities he gave the rise to his Ruine for they found the true way to put a period to the Civill warres by marrying Henry Earle of Richmond to Edwards eldest daughter But having retired himselfe to Rome with intention not to meddle any more in Worldly affaires he returned not till sent for by the said Earle when he was King by whom hee was made Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellour of England and who likewise procured him to be made Cardinall in which Honours he died as vertuously as he had lived This man at the Dukes returne found a great alteration in him towards Richard He hoped to worke some good effect thereout not by propounding any thing but by seconding his opinions
falne unto him by the death of the Earle of Marsh and divers others he in lieu of making use thereof himselfe gave them as donatives to many such gifts being of no validity without a testate of the great Seale the Chancellor would not give way thereunto as well in consideration that the Kings debts being great hee ought himselfe to make use thereof as likewise those on whom he did bestow them being men of no use nor merit were altogether unworthy of such rewards at which Richard being offended that his profusenesse which by those who received the benefit thereof was termed liberality should be questioned by an Officer he forced him to relinquish the office suspending the nominating of another in his place that he himselfe might by the great seale which now remained in his custody authorize it lest being withstood by the former he might meet with the like obstacle by him who should succeed him and by this meanes the doore being opened to one inconveniency it continued so to many others which ensued Of those who misled this young Prince in his resolutions five there were who bare extraordinary sway with him Alexander Nevil Archbishop of Yorke a man so well skilled in what belongs to Court affaires as was not by his Priestly simpliciâ—…y to be allowed Robert Vere Earle of Oxford a young man of no bad inclination had he not beene corrupted by the rise of a great fortune not without infamy the onely favourite Michael Poole a violent man who from the sonne of a Merchant was got to the honour of being Chancellor of England and Earle of Suffolke he was like a ship whcih not fit to beare so great sayle oversets Robert Trisillian a very bold man chiefe Justice who having made the Lawes a snare and Justice a pitfall for many was at last served with the same sauce being by them ignominiously put to death and Nicholas Bambridge Alderman of London one of those Citizens who nobly behaved themselves in the sedition of the Pesants hee had deserved an honourable remembrance had he not in the affaires of government proved as seditious as they The King was impatient of being subject to the Lawes of minority as were his subjects and that his desires should bee limited by the Lawes and that himselfe should bee restrained by that authority which did derive from him hee thought the order of the world in Princes did consist in disorder a defect incident to those yeares for youth takes little or no delight in any pleasures which are not seasoned with licentiousnesse and he being naturally given to please those who pleased him did all things against the haire so to ease himselfe of that burden which contrary to his nature he could not uninforced beare his uncle of Lancaster was the burden which did most molest him for being the prime man in the kingdome next to himselfe all such as daily found themselves oppressed by the insolence or insatiatenesse of the favourites had their recourse unto him An aversion which though not good was not yet without reason the originall thereof being considered The King had formerly beene enformed by an Irish Carmelite Friar that the Duke had secret plots upon the life of his Majesty and though the accuser had much desired that this businesse might be kept secret till such time as being made good he might at leasure and with best convenience be attached The King notwithstanding out of youthfull inconstancy did communicate it to two of his Chaplaines at a certaine time when the Duke came unexpectedly in who finding himselfe not welcomed according as he usually was imagined that they were talking of him and therefore withdrew himselfe into another chamber the Chaplaines doubting their owne safety for the Duke could not but suspect somewhat advised the King to make it knowne unto him which he did Wherefore calling for him he acquainted him with his accusation wherwithall somewhat surprised he in most humble manner desired his Majesty not to give credit to such people since so detestable an intention never entred his breast nor could it be for his advantage for say he should have such an intention which God forbid he should how could he effect it since by so wicked a paricide he was deservedly to fall into the hatred of all men he profered to prove his innocency by his sword he earnestly desired that the Friar might be put into safe custody and if it so liked his Majesty into the custody of Iohn Holland This Iohn was brother by the mother side to the King and consequently void of suspition had not his desire of marrying Elizabeth daughter to the Duke which afterwards he did made him partiall but the King not minding this granted the Dukes desire The impression which at first this accusation made in him was confirmed by the bold behaviour of the Earle of Buckingham not yet Duke of Glocester for entring at unawares into the Kings Chamber he swore by all the Gods to kill whosoever it was that durst say his brother was a traytor not excepting the King himselfe an action by how much the more rash so much the more deserving a condigne punishment if the times had been such as would have permitted it or had the Scepter been upheld by a more puissant arme then was that of Richard But the Frier the preceding night to the day which was appointed for judgement was by Iohn Holland to whom he was given in custody and another companion of his hanged up by the necke and privie members And to the end that hee might die the more speedily they placed a great stone in the center of the Arch which his body in that posture made in which manner being the next day found without further enquiry his body was taken from the prison and like the carcasse of a traytor drag'd up and downe the streets of London This action did no wayes advantage the Duke in the opinion of such as did not hate him whilst to those who had conspired his ruine it afforded weighty arguments whereby to infuse into the King unremoveable suspitions by the which being for two whole yeares tormented Trisillian undertooke to free him thereof by finding some meanes to put him to death by Law But this affaire being made knowne to so many favourites as the King had and hee himselfe not given to secresie came to the Dukes eares who conceiving that his quality was not sufficient for his safeguard his death being decreed retired himselfe to Pomfret a Castle of his owne where fortifying himselfe hee resolved to have no other Advocates then strength and weapons in a cause wherein his estate honour and life was concerned The Princesse of Wales the Kings mother was then in a Countrey house of hers where examining the danger her sonne was in being if not for his owne sake for those that were about him generally hated she though corpulent hasted and made an agreement between them But mens mindes like to the earth abound more
at liberty they contented themselves with such sufficient security as he gave them Thirteen men were afterwards chosen who under the King should take upon them the government of the Kingdome of the which number were the two Uncles of Yorke and Gloster and the Earle of Arundell An Oligarchy at all times dangerous in a Monarchicall government and which first instituted in the reigne of Richard was afterwards as harmfull repealed But examples are not sufficient to ground Lawes upon when the injustice of the Prince is such as it receiveth Lawes from the subject when their injustice springs from their weaknesse and when their weaknesse proves the nerves of strength and veines of justice to the people whether being arrived commanding they are blind in doing of offence whilst being commanded they were Arguseyd in receiving offences every man cries out Liberty a pleasing thing and according to nature but to bring others into servitude is a vice in nature more in reason The tyranny of the Decemviri in Rome was more insupportable then that of Tarquin and the short government of these thirteen more inexorable then all Richards reigne so as if wee consider things aright we shall finde that evils have almost alwayes had just beginnings but contrary proceedings and ends hatred envie and revenge unmasking those vices which covered by the deceitfull cloake of Common-good were beleeved to be vertues The last businesse and the onely one which gave satisfaction to the King was the assigning over to the Duke of Ireland the thirty thousand markes paid in by the Admirall Clisson for the ransome of Iohn of Brettony Count of Pointivers his sonne-in-law This Iohn together with his brother Guy was taken prisoner by Iohn Shandois in the battell of Antroy the yeare 1364. The French seconding Charles of Bloys father to the two young brethren who died in that battell and the English Iohn Montford both of them pretenders to the Dukedome of Bretanny they gave unto him this money in colour that he should goe into Ireland to take possession of such lands as the King had there given him but in effect to separate him from him barring him of all delay they prefixt unto him Easter for his departure from England This was the price at which they thought to have purchased his absence but neither did he see Ireland nor was the King likely to lose his company if Fortune did not deprive him of it This Parliament ended with the giving of one Subsidy which was alotted to Richard Earle of Arundell to be spent at sea where having done considerable actions accompanied with the Earle of Nottingham he gave to the Duke and others further occasion of hatred whereby to suppresse those vertues which in well-governed Common-wealths use to be rewarded so to incite others to the service of their Countrey by the bait of emulation and honour a dismall signe of corruption the bringer in of vice and forerunner of ruine The Parliament was no sooner ended but the King returned to London retooke the Earle of Suffolke to his former favour who as one condemned ought not to have been permitted to have seene the King nor have come where he was he anuld all that was decreed against him conniving onely at this that the office of Chancellor should remaine in the Bishop of Ely upon whom it was conferred And to the end that matters of scandall might never be wanting to the favorites and that their insolencies might witnesse to the world the supreame power they had over him he suffered the Duke of Ireland to do one act of scandall the which distasted all men The Duke amongst the chiefest of his honours married Phillep the daughter of Ingram Guisnes Lord of Consi and Isabel daughter of Edward the third cosen to the King a great and noble Lady by her owne deserts as well as birth not moved thereunto by any inciting cause but his owne pleasure he resolved to repudiate her that hee might marry one Ancerona a Bohemian a Carpenters daughter who came into England in the Queens service It is to be beleeved that he had not taken her had not Richard adhered to him and the dispensation of Vrban the sixth had not been obtained without the Regall countenance there being no lawfull cause for the putting her away although it was the easilier gotten for that the Dutches Phillep being a Frenchwoman adhered to the schisme of Clement of Avignion So that it is no wonder if the King were not generally beloved of his people since that to second the Dukes unlawfull humours hee put no valuation upon himselfe The Duke of Gloster was herewithall soundly netled neither did he cloake his anger though to declare himselfe therein was not agreeable to the rules of wisedome for an open enemy puts himselfe to too much disadvantage Easter the prefixed time for the journey into Ireland was come and gone the world was to be satisfied He delayed the time under the colour of making preparations but not able to put it off any longer he departed and together with him the King who went as hee gave out to accompany him to the Sea side Being come to Bristow they did not put to Sea but leaving it on the left hand passed forward into Wales as if the people had forgotten the journey to Ireland Trickes and devices the more scandalous and unseasonable for that they argued some strange alteration The authoritie of the governours troubled his quiet and the advantage that they had got upon Regall authority threatned his ruine they coveted to secure themselves from them for neither did the Duke intend to goe into Ireland nor the King to part with him nor the Archbishop of York to stand the shock of universall hatred nor the Earle of Suffolk to return to the censure of the Parliament nor Trisillian nor Bambre to give an account of their past actions Whereupon finding themselves in great danger they agreed that it was impossible for them to subsist without ridding them out of the way who were onely able to undoe them A wicked resolution but now necessary since they were come to that passe as nothing but extreams could worke their safety The difficulty of the businesse lay in the making away of Gloster Arundell Warwicke Nottingham and Darby eldest sonne to the Duke of Lancaster who hitherto hath not been named though the first subject of our Story They had likewise proscribed many others with whom they might not have done amisse to have temporized but all delayes were to them dangerous and treacheries framed formerly against Gloster made it impossible for them to compasse their ends by the same meanes The law was thought the safest way and the more masked the safer Many there were who had followed the King not so much out of respect and to claw the favourite as for that the aire of London under the blast of the thirteene not tempered by the propitious breath of Regality was thought pestilentiall They all seemed to make
remarkable for their valor then number so as despairing of taking it by assault he lodged his troops in the suburbs which being invironed by a ditch defended him from such as from Callis or the other Garrisons might at unawares set upon him he forbare not though to assay their first work with a fierce assault the which being weakly defended the defenders not much valuing it he made himselfe master of and made a great booty of cattell and horses his comming being this meane while understood at Callis the towne sent out a hundred horsemen to discover his situation who returned without or giving or taking offence but they sent him word that if hee would expect them they would come and dine with him the next morning to which he answered that their dinner should be ready for them upon breake of day 200 horse two hundred archers and three hundred footmen followed by ten or twelve carts with victuall and artillery came forth of Callis They thought to have met the enemy in the field or ready to come forth but finding them in their rampiers it was necessary to stirre them with their arrowes a cloud whereof falling thicke upon them who were closed up together betweene the Castle and the ditch they were sorely gauled not able to make defence The Dutch foot being disordered were the first who run away and were followed by the greatest part of the horse and the Genovese Crossebowmen who in the taking in of the first workes had spent all their arrowes were soone defeated The Count got safe to Terrovan leaving eighty Noblemen and Gentlemen prisoners besides those that were slain Of which number was Angestes Captaine of Bullen Dampiere and Ramburres The English wonne Artillery munition and other pillage not herewith contented they undertooke to take in Ardres They brought thither three dayes after about breake of day 500. men but the chance at dice is not alwayes alike fortunate for beyond their expectation finding the sentinels awake and the defendants ready to fight after a long redoubled assault they lost betweene forty and fifty souldiers so as taking away their ladders they carried the dead bodies into a house hard by which they set on fire to the end that the bodies being burnt the losse they had suffered might not bee knowne The Count St. Paul doubly wounded in his reputation for every man spoke ill of him resolved to set upon the confines do there what mischiefe he could but this his intention being knowne at Court hee was commanded to forbeare so doing his fortune not corresponding to the rancor of his minde and in his stead foure hundred horse and five hundred foot were sent to Bullen for the safety of those Frontiers conducted by the Marquis Dupont sonne to the Duke de Bar by the Count Dammartin and Count Darpadan that by their wisedome and valour they might abate the audacity of the English Philip surnamed the Bold Duke of Burgondy was dead to whom Iohn his eldest sonne succeeded in the inheritance of his estate in the haughtinesse of his minde and in his hatred to the Duke of Orleans the first originall of their destruction as likewise of the ruine of France He having heard of the Count Saint Pauls misfortune did thereat take much apprehension for his territories in Flanders were next exposed to the enemies impressions King Henry had assembled a Fleet of tall ships wherein were five thousand fighting men to force Sleuce The Duke prepared to succour it The English having with bad successe fought against the Castle upon the advice of this succour were inforced to quit their designe having lost in the action threescore men amongst whom the Earle of Pembroke as Monstrelet reports But herein he is deceived for the Earledome of Pembroke was then in the Crowne by the death of Iohn Hastings who in Richard the seconds time was at a tilting slaine leaving no heires behinde him nor was that honour confer'd on any one many yeares after till by Henry the fifth it was confer'd upon his brother Humphrey who was afterward Duke of Gloster But the Duke of Burgondy not affying in this retreat put munition into Graveling causing a good number of armed men to fall downe upon the frontiers under the conduct of Signior de Croi and because to stand onely upon defence was not conformable to the greatnesse of his spirit hee resolved to besiege Callis the neerest and likeliest thorne wherewith hee might bee pricked Hee beganne to make extraordinary preparations and that nothing mighâ—… be wanting hee sent to require aid from France which certainly would have been granted him had not the Duke of Orleans jealousies hindred him Whereupon he was so much incensed as that he resolved to goe to the Court of France himselfe and to stop two maine gaps with one bush to obtaine aid and to beat down at least abate his enemies power When he was come to Paris accompanied by eight hundred men who under their Cassackes were all well armed he understood that the Duke of Orleans was some few houres before gone from the Citie and that under pretence of hunting he had carried the Dolphin along with him with intention of carrying him to Germany the first was true but the second much unlikely whereupon he beleeved that Orleans had done this to breake off the match which was formerly concluded between the Dolphin and his owne daughter The Dolphin went from Paris accompanied by the Duke his mother and Lewis of Bavaria Uncle by his mothers side with purpose to goe to Mellune They were to dine at Corviole whither the Queen and Orleans were already come the Dolphin and Lewis stayed a little behinde where the Duke of Burgondy came up unto them who not listning to what ever reasons Lewis could alledge caused the litter to turne about and brought the Dolphin back to Paris Great inconveniences would hereupon have insued had not the other Princes interposed themselves But businesses being every day more and more exasperated Burgondy multiplying injuries propounding reformations in the government and therein in bad tearmes taxing the others ill administration the King was counselled to imploy them both in places apart two such working braines as theirs not like to rest in quiet in the Court An excellent expedience it might have been of continuance or at a further distance But being in a point of time terminable in it self at a distance to be measured with one pace it deferred but did not take away the mischiefe delay causing those miserable and bloudy effects which ensued To the Duke of Burgondy the government of Picardy was given to the end that the forces of that Province joyned to his owne in Flanders might in the common cause facilitate his owne security the security of the Kingdome To the Duke of Orleans six thousand men were assigned and defrayed for Guascony whither he went accompanied by many great Monsieurs and laid siege to Blay This place could not hold out long
the Orleanist thought no lesse a bosome friend then sonne in law to the Duke I know not though what judgement to give herein the tokens of this friendship his alliance set aside being very slight For at Burges he appeared against him and in other places upon other occasions seemed but very meanly to favour him he had quitted his wife the Dukes daughter for some affection he had elsewhere nor would he have resumed her if not threatned to have the treaty of Arras broken besides the Dolphin of his owne nature was not constant in his friendship opiniatred onely in odde fancies not over thankefull to his father and as much ignorant of government as he was presumptuous and headstrong Serres notwithstanding calls him terror of Burgony but without cause for had the Dolphin lived he had runne no danger for in time he might easily have won him by his subtilnesse And though through the antipathy of ambition he appeared against him yet it is not likely that he would have forgone that respect which as to a father in law he owed him This his death was rather thought and assuredly was a great blow to the Dukes fortune to the which he began to give way and retired himselfe to Flanders failing in what hee intended in France The Emperour Sigismond had all this while endeavoured as much as he might the peace of the Church which not likely to effect without the assistance of other Princes for to send their Prelates and Embassadours to the Councell was not of force enough against the stubbornesse of three titulary Popes which required a coactive authority to incline them to reason he resolved to goe himselfe to France whether he came with 800. horse and finding that it was impossible to compasse his designes without the peace of the two Kingdomes he meant to endeavour it And having laid the ground-worke thereof with Charles he procured Embassadors from France to goe along with him to England that he might the better treat thereof in their presence He was received by Henry with all due respects William Count of Hannault came thither likewise in person to the same end and shortly after the Embassadors of many Princes amongst which were those of the Duke of Burgony in greater magnificence then all the rest But the propositions which were propounded to King Henry were far short of what he pretended unto and of his good successe by the which he seemed to be inwardly advised to the contrary He forbare not though in thankes to so great a mediator to send Embassadors to Bavaois where as an introduction to the businesse a truce was propounded together with the ransome of such prisoners as were in England Things which easily might have beene agreed upon had not an accident happened which hindred all agreement the which though it be by Chesnes denyed his arguments for confutation are very weake The Duke of Exceter governour of Harfleur was gone forth with 3000. souldiers to scoure the parts neer about Roan against whom the Constable opposed himselfe with 5000. The French writers say it was Monsieur de Villaquiers and not the Constable and that he had but 3000. men They fought and 300. of the Dukes men were slaine the French say 1800. so as finding himselfe to be the weaker the Duke retired himselfe into an Orchard incompassed with a hedge of thornes where he staied the rest of that day and the next night As he retired upon breake of day towards Harfleur he was overtaken and set upon againe neere unto the City from whence new succours issuing forth he put the enemy to route Villaquiers himselfe being one of those that were slaine But however it were the Constable having for his first enterprise resolved to drive the English out of Normandy he besieged Harfleur and though he saw that this resolution would wholly break the treaty of peace yet was he so desirously confident to winne it that hee would not raise his siege though he was commanded so to doe Whereat King Henry being offended he recalled his Embassadors intended to have gone to the succour thereof himselfe in person and had done so had he not beene by the Emperour disswaded Being then perswaded to send away others in his steade he dispatched away the Duke of Bedford with 200 ships the French authors say 300. and with him many Lords and Gentlemen with whom he arrived there the day of the assumption of our Lady a fatall day aswell to the keeping of Harfleur as it was to the winning thereof for the yeare before the King came thither upon the Eve of that day The City was narrowly besieged by sea and land Vicount Narbonne Vice-admirall of France presented himselfe before it with a great fleet before the Constable came thither hoping alone to have surprised it by taking the defendents at unawares But being discovered and driven backe he was contented to have company in the continuance of the siege he gave many assaults into the Town but little good was done either by sea or land When he discried the English fleete hee prepared for fight and went into the mouth of the River The Duke did not refuse the encounter but sending some of his stoutest ships before to beginne the bickering he with all the rest seconded them resolving either to die or overcome They fought a long while with equall courage and obstinacy tillat last fortune favouring the English the enemies ships which what great what little were in number 500. were all of them almost either taken or sunke amongst which were three great Carrects of Genua which being afterwards sent into England did witnesse the defeate The Duke having reinforced the garrison with monies and men returned home the Constable having raised his siege assoone as the Navy was defeated The Emperour who sufficiently knew that it was lost time to tarry any longer in England touching the matter of peace provided for his departure The King had conferred upon him and the Count Hannault at their first comming the order of the garter and they were installed with extraordinary pompe at Winsor The Count was already gone the Emperour being likewise to be gone the affairs of Germany and of the Councell recalling him the King would waite upon him to Calleis a strait league being agreed on between them which having caused jealousies in divers Princes was the cause why the Duke of Burgony desired to speak with them both before they parted And because the declared war did not permit him to adventure his person to a profest enemy or at least he would have it so beleeved the Duke of Glocester and Earle of Marsh were sent unto him for ostages and he was met and brought to Calleis by the Earle of Warwicke This meane while his sonne Philip Count Caralois having with much honour received the ostages led them to lodge in Saint Omers And the next morning going to give the good morrow to the Duke of Glocester who was standing with his backe
prisoners and did forsake the Field The English buried their dead and carried the Dukes body along with them which was afterwards sent from Roan to England and buried at Canterbury by his father This is the substance of their narration Chesne and Derplaix say that the Duke of Clarence a wise and valiant Prince went to fight with the Earle Bouhan the Dolphins Constable and Mr. de Faiette That the French though fewer in number obtained the victory having slaine three thousand English And that the English Historians to defraud the French of this glory make their losse lesse accusing the Duke of Clarence of rashnesse for thatnot trusting in the French that were with him he undertook the businesse with his own men onely Dupleix further to convince them asketh what the French men did while they fought whether or no they stood with their armes acrosse and that he expected they should couple imposturisme to their calumnie and say that the French had joyned with the Dolphins forces to their prejudice Monstrelet sayes that the Duke of Clarence had sent his people into Anjou where under the command of the Scottish Constable and Mr. de Faiette a great number of the Dolphinists were met That Clarence hearing they were at Bawges tooke along with him part of his men and almost all the chiefe Commanders being followed by the rest aloofe off That he marched towards them with much danger and paine by reason of a troublesome passage over a river which he was to passe That the Dolphinists being aware of his comming and provided for him after a keene cruell and bitter battell had the victory That the English lost between two and three thousand men the French above eleven hundred yet notwithstanding all this they under the command of the Earle of Salsbury recovered the Dukes body Paulus Emilius writes that the Duke being come before Angiers and having provoked the Garrison and taxed them of cowardise because they did not issue forth passed forward to a little towne where he understood the Scots were who fought under the Dolphins pay joyned to some companies of French the which he carelesly set upon for that hee was much more in number then they but that being knowne by a golden circle which as a Jewell he wore on his helmet hee was set upon by many of them and slain That notwithstanding this the greatest part of his men retired themselves without or feare or disorder unto Umena where taking upon them the white crosse of France and finding the bridge over the river cut they compelled the countrey people to re-edifie it killing some of them leading the rest along with them lest that the inhabitants being by them advertised might have followed them and that in this manner they got safe to Normandy He speakes nothing of the number of the dead Gaguinus sayes that the Duke of Clarence being gone with a many Souldiers into Anjou did incamp himselfe at Beufort that being at table he was told by certaine Scottish Free-booters who were taken prisoners that the French and Scotch were met together at Bawges whereupon rising immediately from the table he said they are our own let none but the horse follow us that when he was come to little Bawges he met with Iohn de Croix a valiant French Gentleman who being got into a Church and having shut the doore upon him was got up into the Belfree that the Duke seeing he spent his time in vaine set upon the rest and being himselfe in the head of his men having a garland of Jewels upon his helmet hee was one of the first that was slaine by the French and many other Lords with him The Earles of Huntington and Somerset and Thomas Beaufort brother to the last being taken prisoners That the rest saved themselves by flight but that finding the bridge broken at Umena they tooke the white Crosse faigning themselves to be French and causing it to be mended by the Countrey people they put them all to death and passed forwards Serres reports that having presented himselfe before Angiers and having no hope to win it hee set upon the French Army lodged at little Bawges that out of assurance of victory he was lost and that together with him there were there slaine fifteen hundred English The history and Chronicle of Normandy relates that being come into Angier on Easter Eve hee understood that a great number of Scots were at Bawges whereupon passing the river hee in disorder set upon them not tarrying for his company that the Earle Bouhan a Scot had the honour of the day the English being defeated and slaine hee names the great ones but makes no mention of the rest but saith that the bodies of the Duke and the rest of the Lords were taken away and sent into England Buchanan reports that the Duke being informed by Andrew Fregoso or some other Scottish Free-booters that the French were carelesly disporting themselves at Bawges as thinking themselves secure it being good Friday a day dedicated to devotion or were it because there was a truce for eight dayes resolved to set upon them and that rising from the table he commanded that the horse should only follow him that when he came to Bawges he met with some scattering French who saving themselves in a Belfree whilst hee in vaine did spend his time there the rest were advertised of his arrivall that the Earle Bouhan sent 30 Archers to possesse the bridge with whom Hugh Kened together with an hundred others who were quartered in a Church hard by all of them almost unarmed as upon such sudden occasions doth oftentimes fall out did joyne himselfe That the Duke not able to make his horses take the bridge being shot at by the enemies was the first that lighted and who wonne the passage but that whilst hee and those few that followed him got on horseback againe and that the rest passed leasurely after him by reason of the narrownesse of the bridge hee was set upon by Earle Bouhan who had not with him above two hundred horse That they fought with equall courage and hatred the Scots as having an occasion to give proofe of themselves for the French were of opinion that the inhabitants of great Britaine were good for nothing but to eate and drinke the same opinion which the Spaniards hold of the French and the Africanes of the Spaniards and the English as having before them an unplacable enemy who not contented to fight with them at home was come to seeke them on the other side the Sea That they laid load one upon another the Duke himselfe fighting more eagerly then did any other but that being wounded with a lance in the face by Iames Luinton and unhorst by the Earle Bouhan who let drive at him with a battle Axe the rest all ran away were pursued till dark night that there died about 2000 English of which six and twenty men of account besides prisoners which were many Of French and
growes there corrupted or is totally lost Hee not being allowed of for a good Souldier who is not brutish Piety conscience and other Christian affections are lull'd asleepe by extortion violence and the habite of being imbrued in bloud Charles had sent Reynauld de Schartres Archbishop of Rheims his Chancellor in company of the Earle Douglasse into Scotland to raise there 5000. men with the which being return'd into France hee brought along with him the Earle Boughan his Sonne in law and Iohn Stuart constable of Scotland to all which Charles gave divers possessions the better to incourage them to serve him To Douglasse and his Heires-male hee gave the Dutchy of Touraine in feâ—… farme though others write hee did but pawne it unto him Hee Earle Bowhan Lo. constable but neither of them injoy'd these honours long to Stuart he gave the Lordship of Aubenny which is by his posterity possest to this day and to captivate their good wils and make the Scottish-men partiall in his behalfe hee tooke a 100. of them for the guard of his person an institution to this day maintained by the Kings his successours Hee had likewise a little before this receaved an ayd of 1000. foote and 600. lances from Philip Maria Duke of Millan these forces being added to his owne hee made up the body of an Army consisting of 18000. men not counting those who were dispersed abroad in other Provinces Hee made use of these men as of a marching Machin conducted by gallant and experienced Commanders neither was hee long in setting them on worke though with ill successe The Count Richmond had at this time forsaken the confederacy made at Amiens by reason of some distast hee tooke at the Duke of Bedford but what the busines was I find no where specified save by Serres who taxing the Duke of too much haughtines sayeth that the Count being gone unto him to receave some charge worthy of him and his affinity Hee found him so hard and intractable as that being accustomed to the affability of the King of France hee tooke distast thereat and returned backe with a resolution of trying all meanes hee could to put himselfe into Charles his good opinion and to indeavour that the Duke his Brother should doe the like The garrison of Iury a place belonging by inheritance to Ambrose de Lore and which being taken by Henry the fifth was given in gift to this Count Richmond with all the emoluments thereof understanding his revolt declared themselves for France Bedford layd siedge unto this towne the which defended it selfe till such time as a myne being ready to play they yeelded the Castle remaining yet untaken which after some dayes siedge agreed likewise to surrender it selfe if it were not succoured on the day of the assumption of the virgin Mary Hostages were given hereupon and the Captaine was permitted to advertise the King thereof this place was of great consequence to Charles which had it not beene his reputation would have inforced him to succour it for it was a kind of defiance to bee advertis'd thereof by the consent of the enemy Resolving then upon it hee charged the Duke of Alansonne to succour it yea though hee should hazard the battaile Alansonne obeyed marching towards it with the aforenamed Army being come neare to the Towne hee sent 40. Horsemen to survay the Campe but such were the relations hee heard as hee thought it the lesser evill to loose Iury then to hazard a battaile A resolution which displeased the rest hee notwithstanding tooke on his way towards Vernuille presenting himselfe before it in so brave and stately manner that it not being to bee doubted but that hee came from Iury whether it was knowne hee was gone to raise the siedge hee easily made the inhabitants beleeve that he had defeated the Duke of Bedford slaine his men the Duke himselfe with some few being escaped on horsebacke A tale which bearing with it a seeming likelyhood was easily credited the place yeelded it selfe up unto him and t' was a purchase which properly belonged unto him for hee had not long before obtained it from Charles The Castle of Iury this meane while not succoured Gerard de Palliere as hee presented the keyes unto the Duke shewed him a letter signed and sealed by 18. Lords wherein they promised him to come upon the precise day with a resolution to fight and raise the siedge afterwards hee added that since they by falsifying their promise had given him so great a wound hee found no other salve whereby to heale it but by making their breach of promise knowne To which the Duke replied that since they would not daigne to come to him hee would goe to them with a resolution to end all disputes by Armes Hee commanded the Earle of Suffolke to follow him who taking with him 600. horse went to Bertrille where hearing of the losse of Vernuille hee by poste advertised the Duke thereof who marching forth-with thereupon sent word to Douglasse that hee intended to dine with him the next day that therefore hee desir'd him to expect him and see that dinner were ready Douglasse answer'd that being come from Scotland of purpose to visit him hee would not faile in preparing for him the banquet hee desir'd but neither was Douglasse nor any of the other Captains minded to give battaile for Iury being lost the thing for which they fought they should not doe well to hazard preposterously and without necessity against a victorious enemy those forces which were Charles his onely stay and support and that doing otherwise they should at least make good the place of advantage wherein they were having Vernuille upon their backe their souldiers likely to grow fresh with rest and weary if they should travell But the Viscount of Narbonne shewing what shame they were to undergoe if they should not abate the edge of Bedfords bravado's caused his troops take armes in a tumultuous manner compos'd of Provincials gascons and men of Tholouse all good souldiers saying that if the wisest would not follow him hee could doe no lesse then goe alone to defend with the hazard of his life the honour of France so as mov'd thereunto by shame they all confusedly followed him and were by the event too late taught that resolutions contrary to reason have beene seldome seene prosperous they made one onely Battalion of their men placing 1000. horsmen upon each side of their flankes and 400. of those that came from Millan in front to annoy the enemies ordnance to the end that they being opened the grosse battell might the easier enter The Duke of Bedford was not displeas'd with this order for finding himselfe to bee inferiour to them in number it behooved him to make one onely squadron of all his men Hee placed bowmen on their flancks and front secured by certaine sharpned poles which fastned in the earth with their points outward served for pikes against the shocke of the horse Hee made no use of
hate the other But since he could make no alliance of more jealousie to France nor of more commodity to the Low-Countreys he sent Anthony the eldest of his naturall sonnes commonly called the Bastard of Burgundy with some others Ambassadour into England to this effect He came with a retinue of 400. horse with rich Liveries and richer furniture He was graciously received by the King The businesse being propounded in Councell none with stood it but the Earle of Warwicke For framing the Rebellion which hee had formerly plotted with himselfe hee conceived this match would be harmfull to Lewis on whom he intended to relie and good for Edward whom he intended to destroy But he having but one vote the Ambassadours request was granted and Edward promised friendship to the friends of Burgundy and enmity to his enemies He presented his sister to the Bastard and other Ambassadors who kissed her hand as their Princesse and presented her with very rich Jewels which she accepted of with termes of gratitude both to her father in law and husband Great were the entertainments that were made Challenges at Tilt passed between the Bastard and the Lord Scales the Queenes brother and between his followers and the English Gentry the which I passe by as not requisite to our story In midst of these revellings came the newes of Philippes death which much grieved the Bastard so as taking leave of the King and of the new Dutchesse of Burgundy and being richly presented he passed over into Brabant and made such a relation to the Duke his brother of his Bride as did very well satisfie him Who as soon as he had appeased the Legeois wherein he spent some time he desired Edward to send her over unto him according to the Articles of the Contract which he forthwith did She tooke shipping at Dover being attended on by 500. horse and accompanied by the two sisters Anne Dutchesse of Exceter and Elizabeth Dutchesse of Suffolke She landed at Slewes and went from thence to Bourges where the marriage was celebrated The Earle of Warwicke could not at length so well dissemble his distasts as that the King did not perceive them But Princes are not wont to give satisfaction to their inferiours especially to their subjects lest they might tacitely confesse those faults into which as being exempt they pretend they cannot fall or else shew some sort of humiliation repugnant to their greatnesse This increased the Earles indignation for surposed ignorance admits of excuse which confest knowledge doth not so as thinking himselfe injured before contrary to all reason and his injury being now doubled by the no account that was made of it he resolved forthwith to doe what he along time before had thought upon And so dangerous resolutions not being to be undertaken without assistance he judged the assistance of his owne brothers fittest the Archbishop of Yorke and the Marquesse When he had begun his discourse and laid open the reasons which moved him thereunto hee made an odious Parallell between Henry and Edward magnifying the gratitude and goodnesse of the former the ingratitude and wickednesse of the other He shewed how that their house had been the forwardest to spend their lives and livelihoods in the service of the Duke of Yorke the father and of Edward himselfe to make him King who had not recompenced them according to their high deserts and yet durst upbraid them with having been the raiser of their house whilst next under God they ought their chiefest honour to Henry that not contented thus to vilifie them he had endeavoured to dishonour their family and render it infamous by attempting to vitiate a daughter thereof He exaggerated the affront about the match with the Lady Bona which would not have been offered to the most contemptible man in the world Moreover that he had no waies excused it unto him but passed it over in silence not weighing that a mans honour ought to be more deare unto him than the apple of his eye or life it selfe Yet that he did not wonder at all this for that Edward judging other men by himselfe he thought other men should make as small account of their honour as he had alwaies done of his promises That his resolution was to doe what possibly hee could to take from him that Crowne which he had placed on his head and place it againe upon Henry a good and lawfull King That since they did partake with him in the injuries they ought likewise share with him in the revenge which would easily be effected if they would chearefully and heartily betake themselves unto it as they ought and as the chiefest of the Kingdome would doe And that he did assure himselfe they should not want assistance from Princes beyond the Seas necessity requiring it This proposition as it was unexpected so was it not at the first accepted of by the brothers But the Archbishop after long disputes giving way thereunto the Marquesse though with much difficulty suffered himselfe at last to be perswaded likewise moved by the tie of blood not any inclination of his owne for he loved Edward and was beloved by him This ambiguity was the ruine of them all for hee not able to deny his brothers nor yet to betray his Prince did amisse on both sides He assisted Edward by not cordially assisting his brother and he betrayed his brother by not heartily betaking himselfe to betray Edward Warwicke having laid this first groud-worke of his ruinous building he pursued the fabricke thereof with the Duke of Clarence for seeing him no waies pleased hee resolved to trie him Hee seemed to be sensible of the coolnesse used by the King of late to the Duke and expected what he would reply But he like a Cornet which with the first breath sends the sound abroad answered It was in vaine to complaine of things ancient and desperate That the King was in his owne nature disobliging and ungratefull and most to such as he was most obliged unto That since he made no account of his owne brothers much lesse would he doe it of other friends That he more valued his wives blood than his owne That he had disposed of three rich heires by marrying them to her sonne her brother and the Lord Hastings Mushroms sprung up in one night not having any consideration of his owne brethren Continuing in such like angry and threatning discourse hee gave the Earle occasion to lay himselfe open unto him who offered unto him his daugher with equivalent portion to those that he had named with numberlesse other promises and hopes The Duke was so blinded with his anger as hee minded not the injury he did unto himselfe that favouring the house of Lancaster the thing now in question hee destroyed his owne When it was more available to him to have his brother King than all the good could derive to him from this his ill taken advice The Earle more blinde than he did not consider the interest of
brotherhood and blood which being of no force then would much prevaile when his passion should be over since that hee could not pretend to any honour which would not come short of the condition now he was in the which this resolution once taken he was for ever to lose Great therefore was the Earles folly to ground a businesse of such importance upon two so wavering foundatious as upon his owne brother forced thereunto and his brother whose destruction was desired since hee must needs repent himselfe at last The order they tooke was to retire themselves to Calleis That the Marquesse and Archbishop should under-hand procure some insurrection in the Northerne parts of the Kingdome and so give the occasion of the warre whilst they being on the other side the Sea might not be thought Authors of it Being thus gone to Calleis and having vowed by the holy Sacrament to all things agreed upon betweene them the Duke upon the aforesaid promises and hopes married the Earles daughter The two brothers being gone to Yorke whereof the one was president the other Archbishop failed not to put in execution what was agreed upon There was in that City an Hospitall dedicated to St. Leonard where by an ancient institution the poore were fed and the diseased healed So as there was no owner of ground in all that shire who moved by so good a worke did not in the time of harvest give some proportion of Corne thereunto the which at first was voluntary but in the processe of time custome made it be thought a due debt and Collectors were chosen for the gathering of it in who were opposed by none Now to give a rise to the intended insurrection and make way for their impiety they thought no meanes better to effect it than by the way of piety which when disguised mades things appeare otherwise then they are They made a speech be spred abroad that the Hospitall having sufficient revenues of its owne had no neede of the contribution of Corne since the poore were not the better and that the Provost and Priests grew onely rich thereby so as it was a folly to continue the contribution It was no hard matter to perswade the people hereunto since no argument is of greater force than self-interest This newes passing from one mouth to another the people did not onely deny the wonted contribution but wounded some of the Collectors who were forwardest in the gathering of it in Many being herewithall aggrieved about some 15000 men gathered themselves together and went towards Yorke The Inhabitants of that City were surprised at this newes not knowing whether they should keepe within the Towne and defend their Walles or salley forth and give them battell The Marquesse eased them of this trouble for having made a select choyce of not many but good men hee encountred them and overcame them killing many of them and taking many of them prisoners amongst which Robert Huldurne their leader whose head he caused to be strucke off Some were of opinion that having beene himselfe the cause of this insurrection hee had done this service the better to deceive the King to the end that not being thought confederate with his brother hee might the easilyer worke him mischiefe But this and other accidents that happened make others thinke otherwise for if such had beene his intention he could not have wished for a better occasion for hee might have joyned with those Rebells have ruined the King and advantaged his Brother and hee himselfe being the author thereof as hee was believed to bee either hee ought not to have occasioned it if hee had desired to serve the King or else not have broken it had he desired to assist his Brother I for my part believe that repenting himselfe of the first action hee made amends by the second But if hee were faithfull to his Prince hee was a Traytour to his owne bloud not that loyalty to a Soveraigne ought not to be preferred before all other respects but his brother doing ill he should not have confirmed him therein by treacherously complying with him hee should have disswaded not betrayed him And hee having governed himselfe from the beginning of this enterprise very uncertainely makes mee believe him to be if not treacherous which I am induced not to thinke since hee suffered for it yet irresolute in his undertakings either for the one or the other side The Rebells were not disheartned for all this but growing thereby more incenthey tooke for their Leader the Sonne and Heire of the Lord Fitshue and Henry Nevill Sonne and Heire likewise of the Lord Latimer both of them young men but chosen under the direction of Iohn Conniers one of the most valiant Gentlemen of all those parts for that the one of them was Nephew the other cousin to the Earle of Warwicke They would have gone againe towards Yorke but wanting Artillery they marched towards London with resolution to doe what they were able to make Edward bee deposed as being no lawfull Prince and of prejudice to the Common-wealth Edward was not ignorant of all the Plots but judging that if the Rebells should come neere London it would redound much to his dishonour hee writ to William Herbert Earle of Pembroke willing him to gather together all the Forces he could and not to suffer them passe further on The Earl obeyed not more out of gratitude for the honour hee had received than out of his desire to doe some action of merit and most of all for that hating Warwicke who had hindered his Sonne from marrying with a rich Heire hee coveted revenge so as taking with him his Brother Sir Richard Herbert a very valiant Gentleman and assembled together some six or seven thousand Welchmen well armed hee went to meete them and was met by the way by the L. Humphrey Stafford who led along with him 800 Bowmen But not knowing what way the Rebells tooke hee went sometimes one way sometimes another till being advertised that they came by Northampten hee tooke that way and being desirous to know their Number and their Order Sir Richard Herbert offered to make the discovery Hee together with 2000 good Welch Horse tooke shelter by a Woods side by the which they were to passe They were already past by him when hee desirous to returne with his relation to his brother his men would by all meanes fight with them neither could hee withhold them from furiously assaulting the rereward which marching in good Order as if they had expected to be set upon turned faces about and fighting valiantly slew many of them and tooke many prisoners and made the rest retreate too late sorry that they had not obeyed their Leader The King was not any whit dismayed at this newes but encouraging the Earle commanded him to finde them entertainment till hee should send more Forces to him or come himselfe in person The adversaries though somewhat proud of this good successe did not become more insolent But
increased and finding no place safe for him since hee wanted forces hee went not without great danger to Linne where he found two Holland ships and one English hee imbarkt himselfe and was waited upon by the three said ships and seven hundred men without any manner of baggage or one penny of money A great and unexpected misfortune but that which immediately after presented it selfe was farre worse had hee not luckily eschewed it For had hee been taken hee had none to ransome him so would have lost both liberty and Kingdome Eight of the Easterlings ships the Easterlings were then great enemies to the English and did them all the mischiefe they could discovering these three Ships and believing them to be English gave them chase but could not come up unto them till they had cast Anchor before Alchemar in Holland the ebbe being so low as they could not winne the Haven The Easterlings cast Anchor likewise but a good way from them the burden of their Ships not permitting them to doe otherwise so as they were inforced to expect the returne of the tide to board them But Monsieur de Gretures Governour under the Duke of Burgundy in Holland being luckily at that time in Alchemar and understanding of Edwards being there by some whom hee had sent of purpose unto him in flat bottom'd Boats forbade the Easterlings to use any manner of hostility and went himselfe to bring him and all his men into the City Edward was at this time so bare of money as not having wherewithall to pay for his wastage hee gave the Captaine a rich vestment lined with Sables promising not to forget the curtesy and to satisfie him better afterwards A strange change of Fortune happened in a few houres to such a Prince meerly out of negligence and carelesnesse Hee lost a Kingdome without one blow striking and was forced to have recourse unto a Prince whose onely presence did upbraid unto him his carelesnesse lust and bad government Charles hearing of this was very much displeased finding himselfe charged with so needfull a King and so great a retinue whom hee could not bee wanting unto in assistance not out of any humanity or alliance but for that Warwicke enjoying the Kingdome it behooved him to maintaine the contrary party and drive him out or else to suffer the incommodities of a long War Queene Elizabeth the originall of these alterations seeing her selfe abandoned without succour and the enemy upon her back tooke Sanctuary at Westminster where with small attendance she was brought to bed of a Sonne named Edward hee who for some few weekes after his Fathers death was the V. King of that name and who symbolized in birth name and death with his cousin the Sonne of the Dutchesse of Clarence borne a Shipboard before Calleis The pompe of Baptisme had nothing in it of royall save the Mothers teares accompanyed by many mens commiseration which is then greatest when most concealed Many of her best friends betooke themselves likewise to sundry other Sanctuaries who proved afterwards serviceable to her at Edwards returne The Kentish-men prone to insurrections seeing there was now no King of two the one being fled the other a prisoner came to London and sack't the Suburbs and it may be would have sack't the City it selfe had not the Earle of Warwicke diverted them whose comming thither was noysed and who punished the Complices of the insurrection This piece of Justice added to his reputation and the peoples love Upon the 6 of Octob. he entered the Tower accompanied by many Lords in particular his brother the Archbishop of Yorke the Prior of St. Iohns the Duke of Clarence and the Earle of Shrewsbury some of them drawne by affection some by feareâ—… he set King Henry at liberty after nine yeares captivity he brought him to the Bishop of Londons house where hee tarried till the thirteenth day and then brought him in person and in royall attire to Pauls carrying his traine himselfe and the Earle of Oxford the sword accompanied with the peoples acclamations who cried out God save the King forgetting that a little before they had prayed for Edward against him A Parliament was summoned wherein Edward was declared a Taytour to his Countrey and an usurper of the Crown his goods confiscate all Statutes made in his name and by his authority annull'd the Crownes of England and France confirmed upon Henry and the heires male of his body and for want of such upon the Duke of Clarence and his posterity who hereafter was to be acknowledged the next heire to his Father Richard Duke of Yorke and Edward for his faults committed deprived of his birth-right and the prerogatives thereof The Earles of Pembrooke and Oxford were restored in bloud and to their dignities and goods The Earle of Warwick and the Duke of Clarence declared Governours of the Kingdome Marquesse Mountague was received into grace and his fault pardoned since revolting against Edward hee was the chiefe cause of his quitting the Kingdome those who sided with him were deprived of their Honours Titles and Faculties and such punished as in this quarrell had taken up Armes against Henry Whereupon Iohn Tiptoft Earle of Worcester Lord Deputy of Ireland for Edward was found in a hollow Tree brought to London and beheaded in the Tower The Parliament being ended the Earle of Pembrooke went into Wales to take Order for such Lands as hee possest before his confiscation and finding there Henry the Sonne of Edmond Earle of Richmond with the Widow of William Earle of Pembrooke his brother that was beheaded at Banbury who though held as a prisoner by this Lady was alwayes nobly entreated hee tooke him from her when hee was not yet full ten yeares old and brought him to London where hee presented him to King Henry who after hee had ey'd him a while said to the standers by that this child should succeed him and put a period to all the quarrells which afterwards happening confirmed the opinion that was held of his sanctity since by the spirit of prophecy hee foresaw the succession of Henry the seventh Queene Margaret who was then in France being advertised by Letters from Henry of the regainment of the Kingdome did together with her Sonne forthwith put to Sea but the windes being contrary drove her on Land and kept her there a long time and had they forever kept her there they had beene the more favourable for then shee had not met with the mischiefe shee did in the losse of her Sonne When Warwicks returne to England and King Henries re-establishment was knowne at Callis every one tooke unto him the Earles Impressa Vauclere was the first that did so His Impressa was a ragged staffe made of Gold Silver Silk or Cloath according to his condition that wore it As this unexpected inclination made the Duke of Burgondy more sollicitous so did it inwardly displease the Duke of Clarence who had already alter'd his opinion Neither did nature and
Warwioke whose death was the establishment of his Kingdome So that as hee could not sufficiently expresse his joy thereof so could hee not enough lament the Marquesses death whom hee loved and who so loved him as for Henry the type of all misfortune he was againe put into the Tower All this while Queen Margaret met not with a good wind for her passage which was her misfortune for t is to be believed had she been come before the battell matters would not have gone so ill on her side as they did at last she landed in Dorsetshire where hearing of Warwickes discomfiture and death and Henries re-imprisonment her wonted courage failing her she swounded having now no further hope of comfort the safest course she could take was to take sanctuary she and her sonne in a Monastery at Beaulieu in Hampshire whither all the chiefest of her faction came to finde her out namely the Duke of Somerset his brother Iohn Earle of Devenshire who having been one of Edwards chiefe attendants had to his misfortune I know not out of what capriccio forsaken him Iasper Earle of Pembroke the Lord Wenlocke who likewise had formerly been on Edwards side and the Prior of St. Iohns one of the Knights of Bhodes They had much adoe to infuse new hopes into her shee was now no more troubled at her husbands imprisonment nor at the losse of his Kingdome misfortunes by her esteemed irrevocable her sonnes safety as her onely comfort and the last of all her miseries was that which onely troubled her Her opinion was not to tempt fortune any more for feare of endangering him but Somerset perswaded her that if she would undertake the leading of her people as formerly she had done she should finde so many partakers amongst which an infinite number whom feare had made conceale themselves that Edward would not be able to defend himselfe against them that King Henries goodnesse and the expectation of his sonne were deepely engraven in the hearts of all the Kingdome This being by the rest confirmed she suffered her selfe to be peswaded she desired to provide for her sonnes safety by sending him into France but could not effect it for Somerset alleaged his presence was requisite whereupon she condescended This being resolved upon every one went to make their necessary provisions and the Queen with the French that were come along with her went to the Bath whither they came afterwards all unto her Edward had hardly had time to breath after his victory at Barnet when he heard Queen Margaret was landed and what concourse of people flocked unto her out of Devonshire and Cornwall and other Southerne parts hee knew not what to doe as not knowing in what part shee would set upon him hee sent forth some light-horse to make discovery and hearing where shee was hee commanded that the Trained-bands should come to Abbington whither hee himselfe came with those of London and thereabouts As soone as they were come thither hee marched to hinder the enemy from joyning with the Earle of Pembrooke and the other forces thinking that hee might facilitate his victory by fighting with them in their present condition The Queene understanding his designe went to Bristoll so to goe to Wales but the difficulty of passing over Severne and the Duke of Somersets obstinacy caused her last ruine her right way lay by Gloucester but the City being under the government of the Duke of Gloucester the Kings brother she was not suffered to passe by there neither could she force her way having Edward at her heeles she went to Tewkesbury with intent to passe as speedily as she might into Wales but the Duke of Somerset not enduring this flight tooke a fancy to make an hault and fight presently and not waite for the comming of the Earle of Pembrooke who could not be farre off his reason was the danger of being defeated in this their retreat the Captaines approved his motion of making a stand but not of fighting their opinion was that they should intrench themselves so as they might not be forced without apparent danger to the enemy The Duke seemed not to be displeased at this for which purpose he chose the Parke neere to the City where he so well fortified himselfe as that he would have made it good had not his impatient rashnesse undone him for believing he could never quit his Trenches without battell he thought better to give it then to receive it with this fatall capriccio he marshalled his men He and his brother Iohn tooke the Van-guard he gave the Reare-ward to the Earle of Devonshire and the maine battell to Prince Edward under the directions of the Lord Saint Iohns and Lord Venlocke the last being promoted to that honour by King Edward and therefore noted of treachery The Duke of Gloucester who had the charge of his brothers Van making use both of craft and courage set upon the trenches and finding them not to be forced retreated whereupon ensued the very thing hee imagined to wit that Somerset growing hereupon bold would pursue him out of his trenches the which hee did believing to be seconded by the Lord Venlocke with Prince Edwards Squadron but hee not moving the Duke after a long conflict was defeated and driven backe into his trenches pursued even into them by Gloucester where finding Venlocke yet not moved hee called him traytor and with his Sword clove his head in two The King this meane while having followed Gloucester into the trenches cut the rest in pieces some few escaping into the thickets of the Parke into Monasteries and whether else they could flie The Queene was found in a Chariot halfe dead with sorrow and taken prisoner Speed saies shee fled to a Covent of Nuns that shee was taken thence by force and brought to the King at Worcester The Duke of Somerset and the Prior of Saint Iohns valiantly fighting were taken alive Iohn the Dukes brother the Earle of Devonshire with some Knights and 3000 more were slaine Prince Edward fell into the hands of Sir Richard Crofts who intended to have concealed him but the King having promised a pension during life of an hundred pounds a yeere to whosoever should bring him to him alive or dead and life to the young Prince if hee were yet alive Crofts not believing he would falsifie his faith presented him unto him Edward looked upon him and admiring the sweetnesse of his youth and disposition asked him how he durst come with flying Colours into his Kingdome and raise his people against him to the which he couragiously answered that he came to recover his fathers Kingdome his proper and naturall inheritance which could not be denied since it fell unto him by legitimate descent from Father Grand-father and Great-grand-father The King offended at these words strucke him in the face with a Switch which he had in his hand whilst Clarence Gloucester the Marquesse Dorset and Lord Hastings suddenly slew him with their Daggers who were all repaid
to her owne Honour to the safety of her Daughters to the Generosity of her past actions and to her conscience not regarding Oathes when put in balance with the Perswasions of him vvho had alwayes done her mischiefe Being thus abused shee dispatcht away a Messenger to her Son Dorset vvho vvas in France commanding him that he should leave the Earle and come for England telling him that all past injuries vvere forgotten and forgiven and were to be repairâ—…d with Honours and Preferments for that the King desired nothing more then how to give him satisfaction Richard having obtained the First of his three designes having reconciled his Sister in Law and his Neeces being come to the Court where they were by him with great Solemnity received the other Two remained the Second would bee imperfect without the Third and the Third vvas impossible without the Second Hee could not marry his Neece except his VVife were dead upon this therefore hee wholly bent his thoughts Hee considered that by putting her to a Violent death hee might alienate his peoples hearts which hee somewhat gained upon by his hypocriticall proceedings which made them believe he was changed in life and disposition so as a Relapse would prove dangerous to him and make him not to be believed in what for the future he was to counterfeit He lighed upon a meanes never dreamt of any Divell in Hell that Griefe Melancholy and Feare might joyntly worke that effect in her without Scandall which Sword nor Poyson could not doe but with Scandall He forbare her bed nor would he Speake with her not onely denying her his Company but his Sight He began to bewaile his misfortune in that he had a wife that was Barren who would beare him no Children a curse which did so wound his Soule as it would in short time cost him his Life he made knowne this his great sorrow to the Archbishop of Yorke whom he had newly set at liberty being sure he would acquaint his wife with it and hoping it might worke the Effect he desired The Archbishop who was a wise man and very well knew Richards disposition spake hereof with some of his most intimate friends judging the unfortunate Ladies life to be of no long durance The King shortly after made it to be noised abroad that she was Dead to the end her death when it should happen might be the lesse strange mens eares being accustomed thereunto and he made the bruite of her death arrive at her owne eares all this was done in hope that the violence of Griefe would kill her or if not that he might with the lesse Noise make her away who had been so Often thought Dead The Queen who was a Tender Lady and not able to resist so many machinations was hereat much dismayde knowing that Tempests use to follow Thunder especially in so perverse a Climate as that of her Husbands she ran much afflicted to him to know wherein she had so Highly offended him as that he thought her not onely worthy of his Hatred which was apparently seene but of the Punishment which being to befall her the world thought her dead Already His answer was pleasant in words but of sad Sense mingled with Smiles which gave her more cause of Suspition then of Comfort She went backe to her owne lodgings where not many daies after she departed this life whether of Griefe or Poyson it is not certaine those who judge by likelihood thinke the last This Princesse was borne under an unhappy Constellation as well in respect of her Selfe as of those who did any waies appertaine unto her She was daughter to Richard Nevill Earle of Warwicke and Salisbury a Peere of greatest Power and Repute that ever England had her Grand-father was beheaded her Father and her Unkle were slaine in the battell at Barnet her Nephevv Son to her Sister the Dutchesse of Clarence vvas beheaded by Henry the Seventh and her Neece his Sister by Henry the Eighth both her Husbands came to violent ends the First Sonne to Henrys the sixt slaine by this her second Husband and He by others as wee shall shortly see She was in her Life time bereft of the onely sonne she had by him Lastly as for her owne death what ever it was it could not but be happy for Her she being thereby freed from the hands of so cruell a Monster Two of Richards designes being obtained the Third yet remained his marriage with his Neece He began to make love unto her but it was not love that troubled him though he would have it so believed hee was troubled with thoughts of another nature To see so many of the prime Nobility fled into France to the Earle of Richmond to see himselfe so nauseous to his People as they were ready to vomit him out and that the Conspiracy Discovered but not Extinct had made the Conspirators the more wary these were the businesses which excluded his feyned love love being fed by Idlenesse Delights and want of other affaires whereon to imploy ones thoughts He was jealous of none more then the Lord Stanley father in law to the Earle his brother Sir William Stanley Gilbert Talbot and hundreds of others did not so much trouble him as did He alone insomuch as this Lord Stanley being desirous to returne to his Countrey-house under pretence of some domesticall affaires but in effect that hee might be ready at the arrivall of his sonne in Law whom he daily expected he would not suffer himto goe unlesse hee would leave his Eldest sonne George Stanley in Court reputing him a sufficient hostage for his Fathers loyalty When he understood of Blunts rebellion how that the Earle of Oxford had escaped out of prison and how that Both of them having betaken themselves to the Earle of Richmond they had delivered up unto him the Castle of Hammes hee gave order to have it besieged by the garrison of Calais and Richmond sent the Earle of Oxford with a great many Souldiers to raise the siege who having encamped himselfe not farre from the Besiegers passed Thomas Brandon with Thirty commanded men into the Town which so encouraged the Besieged as that the Enemy being shot at at the same time from the Town from the Castle and from Oxfords campe offered a Blanke paper into which they might enter what Conditions they pleased so as they would surrender up the place The Earle of Oxford who considered that the possession of Hammes was not of any consequence to the getting of the Kingdome which they were in pursuit of and that it was succoured onely out of a desire to save the Garrison and Iames Blunts wife together with their Goods willingly surrendred up the place taking from thence the Men Munition Victuals Cannon and all that was there of any value which he brought all safe to Baâ—…is Richard was so puft up with this appearance of victory as he believed that to be true which was falsely informed him That he Earle of Richmond
It was to be believed that their adversary Outwardly assailed by Their forces and Inwardly by his Owne faults must needs fall since Gods judgements the Longer they are in comming they fall the Heavier the weight of Heavens scourge being according to the orders of Divine justice inevitable It was not to be endured that to the excesse of so many enormities Incest should be added the Onely sinne remaining for him to have runne through the whole Catalogue of wickednesse That he pretended to marry his Neece the Princesse Elizabeth to honest by some colourable Title his unlawfull possession of the Crowne the which being due to Him as onely true Heire and therewithall the said Princesse who was promised to him in marriage 't would be great errour in Them to permit either the One or the Other That since God had freed him from so many Treacheries beene gracious to him in suffering him quietly to passe the Seas to be peacefully received in England and brought to confront His and the Common Enemy hee would not be now wanting to worke the confusion of that Enemy through Their valour since hee makes use of Good men to punish the Wicked Their rewards were to be Great all goods Confiscable should speedily be distributed by Him who was to be Judge of each mans valour and desert They ought not to be terrified at their owne Small numbers and the Many of the Enemy for as divine Justice was the first argument of Victory so those people which they saw were led on by the Lord Stanley were all for Them as likewise were many Others who now appearing under the Enemies Colours would in the heate of the battell shew themselves Friends For Himselfe hee promised all that could be expected from a Souldier and Commander He desired them onely to Imitate Him in what belonged to the Souldier that whilst hee fought They should fight and when Hee should forbeare to fight that then they should Forsake him The summe of all his considerations and reasons were That as the Victory consisted in their Valour so if they should be Failing to themselves were to fall under the power of an Enemy who not being to be parallel'd for Cruelty 't was better for them to Die Honourably with Sword in Hand then Ignominiously to Languish under a Tyrant that had not forborne his owne Nephews This being said vvith a Confident heart and vvith Cheerefull countenance he gave on upon the Enemy and vvas as cheerefully follovved by his men Richard fared otherwise no Jollity was observed in his march nor yet willingnesse save in such whose fortunes depended upon His all the rest were wavering and divided into Three severall opinions some thought to side with the Earle some with him of the two who should Overcome and some neither with the One nor the Other but to be meere Lookers-on Richard being now King found like loyality in his subjects as whilest He was a subject he used to the King his Nephew There stood between the two Armies a piece of marish ground with some causey waies that had beene made for the conveniency of Passengers and though the season it being the 22 of August had hardened it yet the Earle knowing the situation thereof to be for his purpose to secure his small number on that side he hastened to be first Master thereof and having it on his right hand hee wonne the Sunne which was in face of the Enemy who advancing the fight beganne The Earle of Oxford being himselfe so farre advanced that hee was in danger to be cut off commanded his men not to stirre Ten foote from their Colours whereupon They forbearing to fight that they might close together the Kings Vantguard did the like being desirous either Not to fight or that the victory might be theirs against whom they were Enforced to fight But Oxford being returned to his charge returned to Handy blowes At the joyning together of the two Armies their severall inclinations were quickly seene those of the Kings side that Fought fought Faintly and those who fought Not withdrew themselves and forsooke the Campe. The King had commanded those he most relied on to have a care that businesses might be carried without Disorder and that they should advertise him of any Danger that should appeare These seeing how some were Negligent and how other some withdrew themselves advised him to save himselfe judging that hee was betrayed But Divine Justice would not suffer him to listen to such advice no not when Victory appearing evidently on the Adversaries part they presented him with a Fleet horse whereon to escape the which hee would not do saying That that day was to terminate either the Warre or his Life Understanding afterwards that the Earle was not farre from him guarded but with a few Gens de Armes hee spur'd on towards him and knowing him by some markes hee ranne at him with his Lance in Rest the Earle was not displeased with the encounter judging it the true way to decide their controversy but he could not meet him hand to hand being thwarted by some of his owne men They gave against the Standard slew Sir William Brandon the Standard bearer and advancing forwards Sir Iohn Cheiney stopt his passage whom hee bare to the ground though hee were a Gentleman of much strength and valour The Earle with his Sword in hand stopped his fury at the very instant when the Lord Stanley investing the Kings squadrons afforded occasion to such as had a minde thereunto to run-away the which when Richard perceived hee left the Earle and thrust himselfe into the thickest of the fight either to reunite his owne men or die the sooner the later of which befell him for fighting valiantly he fell with his Sword in hand all besmear'd with blood All things made for victory on the Earles behalfe to counterpoise the smalnesse of his numbers in himselfe Prudence Diligence and Valour in those that sided with him Despaire of safety if they should lose the day and the Regaining of their Goods Countrie and Honours if they should Overcome But all this was not likely to have sufficed for the Kings desperate valour who encouraging by his example kept his men in their duties had brought the enemy in the two houres space which the battell endured to such a passe as being but few and out of breath they began to give back whereupon if the Lord Stanley who kept himselfe to decide the day had not come in to succour they were likely all of them to be lost We have hitherto spoken ill of Richard though not so ill as he deserved yet now wee must say That though he lived ill he dyed well according to the esteeme of humane generosity His end bore with it heroicall effects Wisdome and Fortitude were two lights which if they did not illuminate the actions of his past Life they did illustrate his present Death When he saw himselfe abandoned by all that those who yet stayd by him served against
their wills but very few willingly hee thought it would be base in him and prejudiciall for him to runne away since thereby he should lose his reputation with the People whereon his welfare did depend He therefore resolved to do his uttermost for should hee Overcome all things were likely to succeed well unto him and should hee lose the day Death would be advantageous hee having no hope at all of safety Enemies on all sides Scotland his onely refuge was but a fading hope notwithstanding the new Peace and lately contracted Marriage well might he trust thereto if his fortune should prove Good but not if otherwise and say it should Favour Him He had but little hopes of getting thither untaken by the way being so generally hated and 't was impossible for him to passe unknowne for his features and shape of body were such by those that had never seene him There is to be discerned a confused mingle-mangle of vertues in this wisdome in knowing his Danger to be such as was unavoidable and Fortitude in resolving to die since he could not eschew danger so as Writers have great reason to affirme that he wan more Honour in these two houres by his Death then he had done all the time of his Life For what concernes his Soules health God is able of Stones to raise up children unto Abraham but this is but when he pleaseth and although there be no differences to be made in Him of Easy or Uneasy since Hee framed the whole World by his bare Word Hee spake and it was made He commanded and it was Created yet let it be permitted according to humane conjecture to say That it is I will not say more Easy but more usuall for him to save one who is naturally Good then one who is naturally Bad since naturall Goodnesse may be said to be the Materia Prima of Salvation containing in her that Disposition which that wee might be saved was of His meere mercy bestowed upon us gratis So as though the rule of Christianity teacheth us not to Judge any one to the Damned yet it forbids us not to Doubt of a mans Salvation as wee do of Richards for as in the good Tree that beareth good Fruit some may be Wormy and Rotten so in Man-kinde man created to the fruition of Heavenly Glory may notwithstanding be damned if he be wormeaten with wickednesses and rotten with the obstinacy of sin His Death afforded invitation to those who yet fought to save themselves and the rest that like Spectatours had not moved from their station came to give obedience to the Conquerour by whom they were gratiously received as likewise were those who laying downe their Armes submitted themselves unto him Of the number of the Slaine it is diversly written some speake of a Thousand some of foure Thousand Sir Gilbert Talbot in an account which hee giveth to his friends in writing sayes there died onely Tenne of the Earles side Hall saies a Hundred Of the Peeres on Richards side were slaine the Duke of Norfolke and the Lord Ferrers of Chartley of Knights Sir Richard Ratcliffe and Sir Robert Brakenbury Lieutenant of the Tower but few Gentlemen The Duke of Norfolke was perswaded by his friends to withdraw himselfe from the Battell the which hee denying to doe two Verses were fastned to his Chamber doore the night before the Fight wherein he was advised not to ingage himselfe in the behalfe of a King that was Bought and Sold but hee having beene true to him in his Life would be so likewise in his Death and was praised for it The Prisoners were many amongst which was Sir William Catesby hee who betrayed the Lord Hastings a man of great esteeme among the Professors of the Lawyers and the chiefe of the Kings Counsell He was with some Others beheaded two dayes after at Leicester Of those that fled away the most considerable were Viscount Lovell and the two brothers Humphrey and Thomas Stafford who got into the Sanctuary of St Iohns in Gloucester Of those who would not fight was the Earle of Northumberland who comming to acknowledge the Conquerour was therefore by him received to grace and afterwards made Privy Counsellour Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey Sonne to the deceased Duke of Norfolke was not received into favour though hee layd down his Armes but was put into the Tower where he stay'd a good while the inward friendship hee had had with Richard doing him no good but being afterwards received to grace he was created Treasurer of England The Earle after the Victory made Te Deum be Sung Hee praised his Souldiers valour and thanked them promising to reward them according to their Loyalties He gave order to bury the Dead and to cure such as were wounded He Knighted such as he thought did most deserve that honour the which being done out of his Owne meere motion did so inanimate his Souldiers as they cryed him up King whereupon Stanley tooke Richards Crowne which was found amongst the Booty and put it on his Head so as he was chosen King by the Souldier according to the ancient custome of diverse Kingdomes The Lord Strange who as wee have said was delivered over to the custody of those who guarded the Tents Royall that when the Battell should be ended he might be given in charge to the Hangman at his guardians entreaties interceded for them the King granted him their Pardon received him with much Honour and his Father with much Joy He went from thence to Leicester where he stayed two dayes to refresh his men and take order for his going to London The day before Richard went from that City in great Pride and Pompe waited on by so many Lords Knights and Souldiers as made the World to wonder he returned thither whether the next day like a slaine Buck layd acrosse upon the Croupe of a Horse his Head and Armes hanging on One side his Legges on the other Scorned and all Naked save his Privy Members which were covered with a course piece of Cloth besmeared with Blood and dawb'd with Dirt a Horrid sight to behold The Heralds name that carried him was White-Bore and the White-Bore was Richards Impresa the which was torne and cut in pieces in as many places of the Kingdome as it was found His Body lay naked two whole dayes upon the bare Earth in a Church of the Minorites in Leicester whither it was carried nor could the People be satisfyed with that sight which being Gastfull in any Other was in Him Pleasing and Delightfull so much had his actions exasperated them against him Hee was buried in the said Church without any manner of Solemnity or Funerall rites King Henry shortly after made a Monument bee made for him with his Statue of Alablaster which represented him to the Life the which at the suppression of that Monastery was broken in Pieces the place where Hee was buried is since overgrowne with Weedes and Nettles so as it cannot bee novv said Here was
his comming desired him that he would rest himselfe in Sir Thomas Trenchards house till such time as they might advertise the King of his being there to which he gave way being certaine that otherwise they would not have suffered him to depart When Henry heard hereof hee sent the Earle of Arundell by way of complement unto him and to let him know that he Himselfe would presently come and visit him But Philip fearing lest if he should waite his comming his stay would be too long resolved to goe Himselfe to Henry making his Queene come at leisure after him He was met six miles from Windsor by Prince Henry and One mile from thence by the King who received him with all terms of Honour and Friendship He treated with him of the marriage of their Children and of his owne marrying with Margaret the Dowager of Savoy Philips sister he renewed all Confederacies made between them the preceding years which were Then made with him by the name of Arch-duke Philip Duke of Burgundy Now by the name of King of Spaine they had better successe for the English then had the former especially in the Fishing-busines at which the Flemmings were much offended he with much adoe obtained the person of the Earle of Suffolke who lived under the protection of Philip Henry knew so well how to perswade him by passing his Word he would not put him to Death that Philip sent for him into Flanders the one desiring to have him before the other departed and the other not to depart till he were arrived that it might be beleeved he had beene Enforced to deliver him up Assoone as the Earle was come and put in the Tower Philip departed England and was received in Spaine without any manner of Resistance Ferdinand totally quitting the Government to him but he enjoy'd it but for a while for he dyed soone after The Englishmen will have it that his death was Prognosticated by the Fall of a golden Eagle which standing upon the top of Pauls steeple was blowne downe by the same wind which drave him into Waymouth and brake downe a signe in the Church-yard wherein was a blacke Eagle Ferdinand being call'd for and entreated by the Kingdome returned to the Government thereof this Death of her Husband having so opprest the fancie of the Queen his daughter as she was never after good for any thing not without suspition that her Father did not greatly endeavour her Recovery that so he of Himselfe and without Trouble might manage the Scepter of Spaine The Earle of Suffolke being in the Tower Henry was now freed from all manner of Trouble and Molestation so as betaking himselfe to Domesticall affaires he sent Thomas Wolsey he who was Cardinall and of so great Power under Henry the eighth to Maxi milian to treat of the marriage with the fore-named Dowager of Savoy but it tooke no effect by reason of Henrye's indisposition of health which shortly ensued The marriage of Charles King of Spaine with Mary daughter to Henry stirr'd up some jealousies in Ferdinand for though He was the first that had mention'd iâ—… yet his Sonne in Law being Dead and Charles being come to the Crowne he feared he should meet with Two Competitours in the Government with Maximilian as Grand-father and Henry as Father in Law which though neither of them dreamt of yet did He feare it but This match had no better effect then had the Other the tender yeares of the young couple and the alteration of affaires in following times broke it quite off The expectation hereof neverthelesse made Henry live contented the little while he lived for having married One of his daughters to the King of Scotland and the Other to the King of Castile Duke of Burgundy he thought himselfe more safe then if his Kingdome had beene compassed about with a wall of Brasse He the mean while began to draw towards his End the Gout a disease more Troublesome then Mortall was the Fore-runner of a Distillation which falling upon his Lungs brought him into a kind of Consumption which perceiving he began to give himselfe totally to Pious Workes He set all Prisoners at Liberty who were in for Debt of not above Forty shillings hee himselfe paying the Creditours he gave Almes in greater measure then he had done formerly but though hee felt great Remorse at the daily complaints made against Empson and Dudley for their Oppressions yet did hee not seeke to Remedy them His Conscience and his Covetousnesse wrought contrary effects in him many for very slight causes were troubled in their Estates and in their Lives one died in Prison before his cause was heard another being imprisoned for denying to pay what Contrary to the Lawes he was adjudged at was not let out till Henry the eighths time and then Empson was put in his place To make good the usuall custome of promising obedience to New Popes he sent Sir Gilbert Talbot with two other Embassadours to Pope Iulius the second which he had not formerly done though he were created in November 1503. They prest much for the Canonization of Henry the sixth but could not obtaine it for the reason formerly given in the life of Edward the fourth Being dismist by the Pope they carried the Garter and Robes of that Order to Guido Vbaldo Duke of Vrbin whose Father Frederick had likewise had it This Prince sent into England to be installed for him according to the Institutions of that Order the Count Balthasar Castillion he to whom the noblest Courtiers owe so much The finishing of the Hospitall in the Savoy was one of the last of Henries actions he would not alter the name of it this fabrick having beene in former times the habitation of Peter of Savoy Unckle to Eleanor the Wife of Henry the third by whom Peter of Savoy was created Earle of Richmond but he resigned the Earledome when Savoy fell by inheritance to him The Lancastrians lived in this house and King Henry converted it into an Hospitall Besides this he built three Monasteries for the Conventuall Friers of Saint Francis order and three for the Observantines of the same order in divers places When he knew he hee must die he disposed himselfe thereunto Hee had lived almost all his time in Troubles but always with prosperous and happy successe he found the Kingdome involved in Civil wars he left it in a setled Peace his subjects who were impoverisht by the past disorders were notwitstanding his Taxations by reason of his good Government become Rich he did not only free the Crowne out of Debt but left it rich in Treasure his sonne found in Richmond house a Million and eight Hundred Thousand pound sterling so as he was thought the richest Prince in Europe He granted out a Generall Pardon and ordered by his Last Will and Testament that all such monies should bee Repay'd as had unjustly beene levied by his Officers He died at Richmond the twenty second day of Aprill in the year of our Lord 1509 and was buried by his wife in the sumptuous and stately Chapell built by Himselfe in the Abbey Church at Westminster He lived two and Fifty years and Reigned three and Twenty Years and Eight moneths The Children which he left behind him were Henry the Eighth his Heir and successor in the Crown Margaret Queen of Scotland from whom the Kings of Great Britaine doe descend and the Prince and Princesses of the Electorall house Palatine and Mary married to Lewis the twelfth King of France by whom having no issue she after his death married Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke by whom she had Henry Earle of Lincolne and two Daughters Frances and Eleanor The Earle dyed without issue in his Fathers life-time Frances was married to Henry Gray Duke of Suffolk and by him had the Lady Iane Gray who being married to Guilford Dudley sonne to the Duke of Northumberland and constrained to call her selfe Queene was beheaded in Queene Maries time she had by him moreover two Other daughters Katharine and Mary who dyed without issue Eleanor was married to Henry Clifford Earle of Cumberland by whom she had a daughter named Margaret who was married to Henry Stanley Earle of Darby and had by him two sons Ferdinando and William both of them in succession one of the other Earles of Darby Earle William dyed this present yeare 1642. leaving his sonne Iames behind him to inherit his Honours and his Estate The End of the Second and Last volume of the Civil Wars of England betweene the two Houses of Yorke and Lancaster FINIS Richard the 2. 1386. 1387. 1388. 1383. 1390. 1391. 1393. 1394. 1395 1396 1397. Henry the 4. A description of the Isle of Wight 1403 1404 1405 1406 1407 1408 1409 1410 1411 1412 1413 Henry the 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. and 8. 9 10 11 12 13 1416 1417 1418 1420 1421 Henry the 6. Apoc Cap 4o. 1422 1424. 1425. 1426. 1428. 1429. 1432. 1435. Philippopolis Andrenopolis Serviae Bulgaria Vallatchia Di. Bittinia in Thracia Di. Brusia in Andrinopoli Alavenente 3. Mascone Impatronato La Castellania Parteggiati Il trombetta Sangate 1424. 1438. 1442. 1433. 1445. 1446 1447. 1448. 1450. 1452. 1453. 1454. 1455. 1456. 1458. 1459. 1460. 1466. 1470 1472. 1473. 1474. 1475. 1476 1477 1478 1479 1480 1481 1482 1483 1485. 1485 1483 1486 1487 1488 1490 1491 1492 1493 1494 1495 1496 1496 1498. 1499 1501 1503 1504 1505 1506 1507 1508 1509
she was but 13. yeares old and he himselfe above 50. was married a second time to Matthias Count de Castelbuono of the house of Fois who had by her one daughter but being hardly handled by her husband she made a will whereby she made King Charles her heire in case her daughter should die without lawfull heires for the which her husband shut her up in prison when she was fourescore yeares old upon this her daughter dyed and Charles having his hands full else where Matthias maintained by the Count de Fois and by agreement with Count Armignac both his cousen smade himselfe master of many places of that County Amignac doing the like who laid pretences thereunto the King who was obliged to assist Iane and desires to enjoy in his due time the inheritance that was given him commanded her husband to present her at Tholouse where asperation between her him being declared halfe the county was assigned over to her the other half reserved for the kings use but she dying some three moneths after and Count Armignack having usurped many places Charles sent the Dolphin against him so as being abandoned by Count Perdriak his brother by Count de March and by Salatzar a Captaine of Arragon who did all sustaine him hee shut himselfe up in a Castle where thinking to couzen the Dolphins young yeares by simulation and treaties he was by the same arts cozened by the Dolphin who was a great master therein for when he suffered him to enter into the Castle hee tooke him prisoner and sent him his wife his second sonne and two daughters to Carcassonne from whence he was delivered at the intercession of Count de Fois his desire then to revenge this affront and to regaine this County from Charles made him offer this marriage which tooke no effect as wee shall see The Pope and all the other Princes of Christendome continued in the desire of making a peace betweene these two Kings to the which they thought the expences they had beene at and the reciprocall evills they had suffered would make them more inclinable to this purpose an Assembly was appointed at Tours whither came most of the Princes of the blood and those who came not sent their substitute amongst which the Duke of Burgony sent his for Henry came William Poole Earle of Suffolke Doctor Adam Mollins Lord Keeper the Lord Robert Rosse and others for Charles the Duke of Orleans Lodovick of Burbone Count de Vandosme and Monsieur de Pesigni but meeting with the wonted difficulties not likely to be ended in a short time A truce for 18. moneths was concluded by which meanes they hoped they might meet with the necessary expedients for the desired peace some report that upon this occasiō Henry demanded Margaret of Aniou daughter to Renatus King of Scicily for wife which was not so for his marriage with the daughter of Count Armignack was at that time thought as good as concluded her fathers performance of his promises being only expected for the consummating thereof the onely moover in the other was the Earle of Suffolke who did it of his owne head not acquainting any of his Colleagues therewithall and wherein hee did too boldly exceede his instructions if hee did it out of beleefe that this new allyance by blood was requisite to the joyning of their mindes he was much too blame for if consanguinitie be of no moment amongst Princes when particuler interest is in question much lesse affinitie if not Henry being the sonne of Charles his sister no tie save that of father could more strictly have united them so as it did not much import that the Queene of France should bee Aunt by the Fathers side to her whom he should marry since Charles was Vncle to himselfe by the mothers side what was credited was that the Earle did this to advance himselfe by meanes of this Lady intended by him for wife to Henry without any further respect The conclusion was that the King of Scicily should have all restored unto him which did patrimonially belong unto him in Aniou and Maine and which were now enjoyed by the King of England so as it was not sufficient that this unlucky marriage should neither bring profit with it nor any hopes thereof but that to make it on all sides disadvantagious hee should endow his father in law with these countries which had beene wonne at expence of blood and which for safety and reputation ought to be unallienable from the Crowne of England but the fate if any such thing there be which led him unto ruine was in-evitable for the Eà rle of Suffolke being returned to England figured forth this match as a meanes to end the warres to procure peace and make the Kingdome happy whereby he blinded the Councell and painted forth the Lady in the most lovely colours that beauty could bee set forth in and in conditions the most sublime that might become a Princesse whereby hee allured Henry so as though no man did approve of it as thinking it good some seemed to approve of it not to displease Suffolke and all to please the King who was perswaded to it for it is dangerous for such as councell Princes to have more regard to the Prince his profit then to the humoring of him in his affections Which were it otherwise Princes would be too happy and peradventure not acknowledged God the author thereof who doth therefore counterpoise the power of their might with the impotency of their passions The Duke of Glocester was hee alone who to his cost opposed it thinking the former intended match not fit to be broken as well for that it was amisse to faile the Count Armignac as likewise that his alliance was more advantagious and of more pregnant hopes of honorable atchievements whereas the other brought nothing with it but losse the Citie of Mens Mayne and that part of the Dutchy of Aniou which Henry possessed serving as a Bulwarke to Normandy did to the first losse of their surrendring adde a second of weakning the affaires in France which ought to be maintained in their full force to the end that the treatie of peace might bee made upon the better termes but all these reasons were to no end since the heavens had decreed that the Duke should for this cause loose his life the King his life and state the Crowne all that it possest abroad and the kingdome that peace at home which till then it had injoyed When Charles understood that Henry was herewithall contented he sent unto him the Count de Vandosme a Prince of the blood and the Archbishop of Rheins who concluded the match the more to honour this unfortunate marriage Henry created three Dukes and one Marquesse he made Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington Duke of Excester Humphrey Earle of Stafford Duke of Buckingham Henry Earle of Warwicke Duke of Warwicke and the Earle of Suffolke who was the authour thereof Marquesse of Suffolke and for his further
honour made him his deputy to celebrate the formality of espousall and to bring his bride over into England He went then and had with him his wife and a great many of Ladies and Gentlemen carriages and letters for her father who was rich in titles of imaginary kingdomes as of Scicily and Ierusalem had not meanes to send her to her husband so as all the charge which was very vast fell to Henries share being come to Tours hee married her in the name of his master in the presence of the King of France The Queene and a great number of Princes and Lords amongst which were the Dukes of Orleans Calabria Alanson and Brittany the marriage was solemnized with feasts and tilting after which with the like or better shee was married by Henry in England and crowned Queene Normandy lay openly exposed by the surrendring of the two Provinces Count Armignac was scandalized and shortly likely to revenge himselfe the kingdome was fallen into an Abisse from whence it was not to be raised but by the death of the King the ruine of the Queene the desolation of the house of Lancaster the destruction of the Nobility the rebellion of the people and the alteration of the State This seperation of Armes caused the Duke of Yorke and many other Commanders returne to England that they might consult of what provisions were to be made before the expiration of the truce to the end that Normandy being well fortified Charles might be brought to a well conditioned peace and if not that they might be able to make a powerfull warre But England did in this an evill mannager who having a house covered with Lead sells the Lead and then covers it againe with straw to the end that a sparke of Fire by reason of this new covering may be sufficient to set it on fire the given Provinces were the Lead sould and prodigally squandred the provisions for Normandy the thatching over with straw the two Provinces might have entertained the warre and being lost have advanced time which is the father of the changes of fortune for losse in warre doth seldom happen in one action and at one instant To this purpose a Parliament was called subsidies paid Souldiers raised and the Duke of Sommerset made a Regent of France in stead of the Duke of Yorke the Marquesse of Suffolke were it either to boast of his favours or that hee foresaw the future danger made a long speech in the upper house relating his ownemerits in the making of this truce and this match and advertising the Lords that since the truce expired the next Aprill and peace did not ensue they should doe well to take such order as that Normandy might not be endamaged for it was to be beleeved that the French finding it ill provided would make use of their advantage that having advertised the King thereof he did now the like to them to the end that if any evill did happen it should not be said to have beene for want of any good admonition he desired them in discharge of his innocency to thinke on this the same thing was done the next day in the lower house the Messengers whereof entreated the Lords of the upper house that by joynt consent of both houses this present action might be registred amongst the acts of Parliament hee obtained what he desired the favours of favorites being like to little Rivolets which easily glide into the current waters even of the greatest rivers they sent their Speaker to the upper house where the Lords who did likewise waver with the wind did on their knees beseech the King that in respect of great services done by the Marquesse he would vouchsafe him this and whatsoever other favour for that he could not bestow his graces upon a more worthy subject and the King who of himselfe was wonderfull prodigall of his favours to him and loved to be entreated thereunto as not willing to seeme to doe it of his owne inclination answered them in such a manner as every one might see he made him the haven of his favours and the object of other mens respects the action was registred but not with that successe as was hoped for to witnesse that the peoples and Princes favours are of short duration and oftentimes unfortunate hee shortly after created him Duke he gave him two rich wardships that of the countesse of Warwick and of Margaret the daughter of Iohn Duke of Summerset who was afterwards the mother of Henry the seventh hee likewise at his request created Iohn de Fois Count de Longaville and Captaine de Bus Count de Candale both of them Guascons all these favours served onely to make his downe-fall the more sudden which usually doth not faile being caused either by the hatred of private men or of the Prince for such mens insolencies encreasing with their authorities and their authorities growing greater by their favour they become insupportable and having once offended cannot support themselves but by new offences whereby begetting hatred and envie amongst private men and societie in Princes they must needs fall and be overthrowne either by the one or the other According to Articles of marriage all places belonging to Aniou and Mayne were already surrendred except Manns the which being of more importance then the rest Charles did beleeve they had no intention to deliver it up so as having raised a convenient Army he prepared to have it by force which when Henry understood he gave order that it should be forthwith surrendered unto him not so much for that he should not have just cause to breake the truce as that by justice he was to doe it But Chartier and Monstrellet say that the English held it till the yeare 1449. at which time Charles besieged it and that the Lord Privy Seale being chosen Bishop of Winchester caused it to be yeelded up unto him but how ever it were this cessation from Armes wrought the like effects in England as in a healthfull body the forbearing of moderate exercises doth which by filling it with bad humours bringeth infirmities upon it The natures of the late married couple were if not opposite sufficiently differing the husband was of a womanish inclination the wife of a manlike spirit the King was humbled evout spiritually given caring onely for his soules health the Queene was proud ambitious worldly given and not to be quieted till having brought the kingdome to be governed as shee pleased shee might see her selfe free from Rivals in the government The Duke of Glocester was no wayes pleasing to her as well for that he had opposed her marriage an injury not to be forgotten as likewise that her husband being long since out of his minority was still governed by him as formerly when he was under age the which being observed by such as did not love the Duke they let slip no occasion whereby they might worke his ruine The Marquesse of Suffolke for that he could not rise to